


Good with Numbers

by TooYoungToFeelThisTired



Series: You could have loved me forever. And maybe in another universe, I let you [6]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Alternative Timeline, Angst, Boss/Employee Relationship, Denial, Drunk confessions, Established Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Feelings, Five and Vanya are both adults same age, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, No incest - No one is related, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, Vanya's POV, becoming friends, super fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 12:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 61,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22136167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooYoungToFeelThisTired/pseuds/TooYoungToFeelThisTired
Summary: Given how she got the job, she shouldn't be surprised it all ended this way. Good thing she was always good with numbers.
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy & Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves
Series: You could have loved me forever. And maybe in another universe, I let you [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1374196
Comments: 169
Kudos: 363





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything

_Maybe there's a universe out there — happening now — where we end up together. Maybe there's a universe where I'm the right person for you. Where I adore every nice thing you did for me without starting to resent you. A universe where you actually end up with someone who appreciates you. Where both of us can shed our baggage and curiosity and issues. If you think of it all this way, then it's like neither of us did anything wrong. You just found me in the wrong universe. That's all. Because you could have loved me forever. And maybe in another universe, I let you.― Gaby Dunn_

* * *

'So how is work?' asked Vanya's mom on the other end of the phone no doubt while looking at her favorite TV show which must have been on mute since she was on the phone. That was the millionth dollar question how was work?

'Work is good…eventful,' said the twenty-nine-year-old woman while peeking into her bedroom at the man sleeping off his hangover. If her mother knew she had a man sleeping in her bed like this, her _boss_ of all the people, she would surely give the poor fifty-year-old woman a heart attack. Not that she was planning to mention it. She wasn't even sure she would be able to explain everything which led to this point, so she wouldn't try.

'Oh, that's nice, honey,' said the woman and Vanya couldn't help but grimaced sarcastically eyeing the man's sleepy face. Even though she witnesses him vomit, which yes, she will admit was discussing a bit. He was still the most handsome man she ever met in real life. Strange for sure, a bit arrogant at times, coldblooded or hotheaded depending on the situation, handsome as hell and total gentleman if he wanted to be.

_'_ Yeah, mamochka, real nice,' she agreed smiling a tiny bit despite herself before leaving him to sleep up his hangover. He deserved it.

To be completely honest at this point Vanya's career in the Umbrella Corporation was marked by a few events which let her to believe she should look for a new job. The sooner the better.

It started about a year ago. After a rather dreadful bankruptcy of the company she was working for almost five years she was forced to go job hunting in a field which had too many applicants who were younger, less experienced than her and of course cheaper. After giving up on the hope to score the position she had in her old company Vanya started to look around a different position only to hear the same thing over and over again _you're overqualified for this job_. In her last interview, she almost wanted to roll her eyes at the person and ask them to offer her a higher position then. Obviously, she didn't but she thought about it, the way people usually tent do in the privacy of their mind.

Anyway, she didn't really have much hope coming to this interview either. She overpaid for the cab because she wanted to be on time and not deal with the subway. Once she got to the lobby she found around twenty women there with printed resumes, all younger, taller and more fashionable than her looking like they should be working in the modeling industry.

She bought a coffee outside of the company and tried to mauve it while pulling out the resume from her bag. Of course, she spilled it on her blouse in the process. Cursing and trying not to look at the faces of strangers who witnessed all of this she ran to the restrooms.

Her blouse could still be saved and so could her interview even if she was losing the little hope she had she would manage to get the job.

It was hard to get the stain out while the blouse was on her so with a quick scan of the room, Vanya pulled it off and started to wipe it clean.

When she heard the door open she fixed her eyes on her work instead of the woman who walked in, 'I had a little coffee accident.'

She didn't want them to assume something was wrong with her being shirtless in a restroom like that.

'This is the men's room,' she suddenly heard a voice which in no way whatsoever could have been mistaken for a female's.

She shot her head to the side, and to her horror confirmed what she already suspected. There was a man standing in the restroom maybe five steps away looking at her.

'I'm sorry.'

She didn't even waste time to properly see what he looked like she just grabbed her blouse and bag and rushed to the closest stall.

'I'm sorry, I spilled coffee on my blouse and just rushed here. I'm sorry,' she kept on apologizing while trying to put on her a bit damp blouse. She would have to put her scarf over it to hide the stain, but at this point, she didn't even care.

She swallowed hard feeling like an idiot.

'Has anyone ever told you you apologize too much?' she heard from the other side. Her heart was hammering against her chest as she nervously buttoned herself up.

'N-no,' she laughed mostly out of nervosity than anything else.

'Hm,' she heard or thought she heard the man let out before she heard footsteps leave the room, 'Good luck on the interview, Ms. Babkin.'

Vanya blinked as she finally finished her blouse just when she heard the door open again.

She got out and the man was already gone. She noticed her resume was nicely placed near the sink she had set her bag on. He must have read the name off of it.

She didn't need the mirror to know she was blushing and the inner voice to tell her she was an idiot. She figured as much.

Sighing she took the piece of paper and returned to the lobby. She wasn't sure she wanted to get the job anyway knowing there was a man she managed to make an idiot out of herself in front of in less than five minutes.

After the interview, Vanya kicked off her heels which killed her on her way to the subway and jumped on her bed screaming a bit against the pillow which muffled the sound. The interview was a disaster. Once inside she noticed the man had two piles of papers in front of him. Probably separating the candidates. She barely managed to introduce herself and give him the resume and he already put her in a file. She talked about her previous job and her skills and could clearly see the man was eyeing another woman who was sitting in the lobby. She was sure she wouldn't get the job no matter how good with numbers she was. Some assholes were looking for dumb blondes they could ogle all day long than brains and people who would actually know what they were doing.

The whole disaster made Vanya certain she would only hear from this company when they would call to say she didn't get a job. However, the call came the next day and to her surprise she got it. She was confused. Maybe the man did listen to her, or he put her on the wrong pile. Or maybe her qualification finally got her somewhere. All in all, Vanya went to buy a new dress the same day and even woke up early to do her hair for her first day of work.

One of her co-workers, Allison was very nice about showing her around explain the basics of what they did and what she needed to know, even offering to have lunch with her. The work itself was ridiculously easy for Vanya, and she could tell she impressed a few people with how quickly she did her task. She was just so overjoyed to work somewhere again.

Vanya came from a single-parent family and almost all her life felt like she never had enough money. Not enough money for toys, books for school, clothes or food. Her mom did her best, but she worked two jobs with almost no education as a Russian immigrant, so growing up was certainly hard. Vanya vowed to make something out of herself and get a better-paid job and just live a normal life. She never dreamed of being rich, just living like a normal person who could buy something nice for themselves and still have the money for their apartment, food, and clothes. Normal things. The problem came when she came across her supervisor, the man from her interview. Mr. Jenkins was the only one who showed her hostility and doubled her work.

'Don't mind him. He's an asshole, and his son is a bit creepy,' said Allison in between whispers while they worked. She had yet to meet Mr. Jenkins's son, and frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to after that.

She worked in the company for over a month when she caught onto some irregularities with the numbers that were presented to her. It wasn't a part of her job to do a bit of a revision, but since she worked faster than anyone in her office she dug a bit into it. Even if well hidden it almost appeared as if the company was missing a certain amount of cash. Maybe she made a mistake or she was missing something, but it definitely looked that way and before Vanya knew it she stayed in work almost two hours after everyone clocked out.

She put down her heels and put on the sneakers she carried around because of the long walk from the subway to her apartment and left.

The building looked quite empty, but when the elevator opened, a man was standing inside, 'Hello.'

His eyes moved to her face from his phone his eyes had been scanning a moment ago, and nodded, 'Good evening.'

She might have been imagining it, but she caught the briefest smirk on the man's face before she walked inside.

The man had a fine black suit on which must have cost more than Vanya's monthly rent. From the short look Vanya notice he was handsome and had dark hair which was nicely tugged behind. Since the elevator came from upstairs, she knew he must have worked in a higher sector than her maybe even management. How was it that people like that always looked so good? Maybe it was the expensive clothing, but the man in all accounts appeared handsome as hell and totally out of her league. Not that Vanya was the type to start something with a man she met in an elevator, she couldn't even jumpstart a polite conversation with the stranger.

'Ground floor,' she said but noticed he already had it pressed and closed her mouth after that.

There was always something very strange and awkward about riding in an elevator with a stranger especially so many floors down. Vanya never knew if she should start a casual chat about the weather or keep her mouth shut or ask how they were. The man had to work in the company since he was here so late, and he wasn't on his phone anymore so she wouldn't bother him if she said something, but if he answered in a single word answer she would feel so embarrassed.

'No coffee tonight?' he asked suddenly and Vanya blinked confused for maybe a second or two before her eyes widened in horror and she slightly turned to the side only to find the tall man looking down at her with that same small smirk as before. She didn't recognize him at all at first because she only caught a glimpse of him before but now she could see it. He was the man who saw her without a blouse in the men's restroom a few weeks ago.

_Just her fucking luck._

'No, I-I don't drink coffee in the evening...,' she babbled still in shock that it was him, and he actually spoke about it, 'I can't sleep afterward.'

The man continued to smirk as he turned to the front again, 'Well, that isn't always bad. Sometimes a person is up all night.'

He looked at her again almost like he was taking her in, 'Doing _things_ to keep themselves occupied.'

Vanya felt her face heating up. Was this man flirting with her in the elevator? No. Surely not. He was so attracting and- he was definitely just making fun of her. She felt embarrassed even more now that she realized this man knew who she was and saw her in her plain white bra. She didn't think she would be exposed that day so she took the ugliest, grandma bra she had. Of course, this ridiculously attractive man had to witness it and now make fun of her.

She swallowed a bit before she said, 'I don't usually undress in the man's restroom, you know?'

'Pity. I was hoping for some excitement when I got there again,' he said tilting his head closer to hers even if it was pointless since without the heels she was barely tall enough to reach his chest.

She felt her cheeks go red and her face was on fire, 'Look. Are you mocking me?'

She turned fully around to face the man who was still smirking when he turned toward her as well, 'No. But I did enjoy your little show.'

'It wasn't a sho-'

The door opened and Vanya bit into her tongue before she rushed out of the elevator. By the entrance Luther, the security guy said her good night before she heard the worst thing since she got into the elevator with the man.

'Have a good night, Mr. Hargreeves.'

She almost tripped over her own feet when she turned around to watch the man wave at Hazel while still looking at her.

_Mr. Hargreeves. James Hargreeves. Her boss._

She couldn't run faster out of there even if she was chased by a lion which she might as well been.

* * *

Fortunately, she rarely met with Mr. Hargreeves so she didn't have to worry about running into him often, but it did cause her to think a lot when she had the time about why did he hire her. She had no illusion given how big of a sexist Mr. Jenkins was and how he clearly didn't like her being so good in her job, he definitely _didn't_ hire her. Mr. Hargreeves saw her name on the resume and maybe the resumes went through him so he decided to hire the woman who gave him a strip show in the restroom.

_Jesus, I hope not!_

She didn't even have the stomach to eat her lunch when she realized that and spent the rest of the day doing twice as work while still secretly looking into the irregularities she caught onto the other day hoping that if she proved herself to be a good employee she would feel less like she got the job based on flashing the boss. She tried to refocus on work only to end up going home late again and once again catching her boss in the elevator.

'Good evening,' he told her with that smirk still on his face while Vanya did her best to not look at him even considering taking the stairs, but she was already inside mumbling back a greeting.

The man was clearly in a good mood, and Vanya swore to never stay up after work hours again. She was surprised the man was here in the first place. From her old boss, she was used the boss to leave the earliest. Then again, her old boss's company bankrupted so...

'Ms. Babkin, I don't recall the company paying for the overtime,' he told her, and she tried to keep her eyes on the elevator buttons slowly lighting as they head to the ground floor, but how was she a properly raised child to avoid talking to someone even if he didn't actually _ask_.

She looked at him for a moment and of course, his green eyes were directly looking at her making it hard to breathe for some reason as his lips were tugged into that smirk of his which was both boyishly charming and manly daring and kinda only kinda turning her on. Not that she would ever admit it to anyone besides her already weak mind.

'I had some work to do.'

'Oh,' he said and looked in front of him like he thought of something, 'are you finding the job difficult to handle during standard working hours?' he asked and Vanya felt blood rush to her cheeks not from embarrassment but from something else altogether.

_As if!_

'No, sir,' she said through her teeth trying to keep her venom at minimum. She felt it as a personal insult to her hard work and intellect for him to think she wasn't able to do her job on time, 'I was just following up on some things which aren't in my daily job descriptions.'

'What do you mean?' he asked the light mood gone as his voice sounded a bit more professional kind of like it did in the restroom which she only now recalled. Even when he caught her in the restroom all vulnerable and in a no doubt funny situation. He didn't stay to embarrass her further or to want something inappropriate from her. He simply walked away leaving her to take care of herself. She didn't catch anyone gossiping about her or so maybe he even didn't tell anyone about the incident and only spoke about it when he was with her alone now.

She blinked and looked over him. For the first time, the smirk was not present, and Vanya found it a tiny bit of shame because now it was very clear who they were. Boss and his employee.

'Nothing, just some work issues, but nothing to bother you with,' she said a bit panicked not sure she wanted to start a conversation like that in the elevator a few minutes before they should be on their way home.

Luckily they got to the ground floor, and Vanya walked around Mr. Hargreeves out of it, 'Ms. Babkin, come see me tomorrow first thing in the morning in my office. We can discuss these work-related issues which keep you here in such odd hours.'

Vanya opened her mouth but couldn't come up with a single reply or reason why not so she nodded and hurried away wishing Luther a good night and not looking back once.

* * *

The next morning she woke up even earlier than before. She took the earliest train she could manage and walked to work. She was too early she knew. Luther was still at work and gave her a funny look as she went to the lobby only to pause since she caught with Mr. Hargreeves by the elevator. This must have looked awfully suspicious to the security guard.

She swallowed a bit as she approached him trying to remind herself he asked her to his office to discuss her work and not make fun of her or make inappropriate suggestions. Or so she hoped.

'Good morning, Ms. Babkin,' he greeted in a more formal way than before. They headed straight to his office on the top floor where he ordered/requested that she sat down and told him about her work.

Personally, Vanya would rather take this matter with Mr. Jenkins, when she gathered more information, as a CFO he was responsible for the financial situation of the company, but given that she was asked by the CEO himself she couldn't exactly refuse him.

She found it calming that their conversation was strictly work-related and all the jokes and remarks from the elevator were pushed aside. She liked it far more like that when she needed to talk about work even if it was strange to look at the man without his significant smirk present. She explained what she found trying to point out that she could be mistaken, that it might be just a typo or something else entirely.

Mr. Hargreeves was quiet for a while before he looked her directly into the eyes for a few moments just watching her expression.

'Why didn't you inform your supervisor yet? Why work on this on your own in the after-hours no one pays you for?' he asked studying her face, and she knew this was a test. Despite the carefree attitude in the elevator from their talk now, she could tell Mr. Hargreeves could be a very serious and professional man, quite intelligent and rational. It was a pleasant change to her previous employer.

'I only trust things I check for myself,' she said knowing how it made her sound and how much people, men especially hated when women act like that. All high and mighty showing ambition and being proud and stubborn.

Her boss returned her notes back to her, 'What else do you need to check to be sure about the money being stolen and not just misplaced or it being some sort of error?'

The question should have caught her off guard, but Vanya already had a list inside her mind which she presented him with. He allowed her to leave but informed her to come back on Friday with a report of what she found out so far.

'I also owe you an apology, Ms. Babkin,' he said suddenly and Vanya blinked as she was on her way out, 'Sir?'

'I made you uncomfortable. It was insulting. I hope we can overlook my earlier rude behavior and work beside each other.' She wasn't sure what caught her more off-guard, the apology or the way he phrased it all. Work beside each other as if they weren't on double standards in everything not to mention in a hierarchy of boss and employee.

'I-of course, no harm done,' she said mostly stunned by the whole conversation than actually thinking it was not a big deal. In a way, it wasn't. She was used to such behavior, but it also didn't make it okay he acted like that.

She walked outside avoiding her co-workers' looks and made a mental note to always make sure to leave Mr. Hargreeves's office before people start getting to work. She would rather quit than for anyone to assume anything and spread incorrect rumors.

As she was closing the door she noticed her boss turned his chair to the side and looked outside the window with a small frown wrinkling his forehead. For the first time since the bathroom and elevator incident, she had a feeling her new job wouldn't be so bad and the man could be a good boss. It also helped that she was always good with numbers.


	2. Chapter 2

After the new task from Mr. Hargreeves, Vanya could note all too well the big difference between him and her old boss. Her old boss was a slacker, a middle-aged man who inherited his fortune, never took any of their advice or suggestions to heart and acted like he was the smartest man on earth. Looking back Vanya wasn't surprised at all they bankrupted. With a man like that it was unavoidable really. She didn't think about it as much as she used to about all the mistakes that were made, but it would always remain as a sore spot in her past that it all resulted in that way.

Mr. Hargreeves, on the other hand, was a young man, very dynamic and active, but not jump in think later at all. She could tell he was very intelligent and good at predicting things. She had to admit she was shocked to the point of being speechless when he first asked her for her opinion on things he should talk about only with his CFO. She didn't expect him to trust her so much. He didn't know her. She worked for him for a few months at most and sure, she caught onto something and maybe when he read her resume, he figured she was more intelligent than the rest of his staff, but still. It still felt a bit sketchy why would he trust her so much. She certainly wouldn't put all her faith someone new let alone someone who she caught in the wrong bathrooms undressing. She still wasn't sure how was it that he didn't consider her a total idiot.

And yet, he didn't seem like it at all whenever he listened to her findings and what else she uncovered, he always sounded very interested in the topic and clearly thinking highly of her. Even more when Allison pulled her aside with a big grin over her face and talked about how he praised her in front of some of the other departments' supervisors.

'Jenkins looked ready to pop from the venom,' grinned the other woman to which Vanya raised her brows, 'Which one?'

Unfortunately, although not being too excited about meeting Harold Jenkins Jr., she did run into him during lunch with Allison and a few other colleagues not long after she started to work on her secret project for Mr. Hargreaves.

He seemed nice. He said everything right. He acted politely and decent asked what was needed and said his goodbye not overstaying his welcome.

When she looked at Allison curious the other woman just shook her head, 'Just you wait.'

After that first meeting, he bumped into her quite often. He tried to get her into a conversation. When she wasn't busy, she let him. She tried to remind herself of Allison's warning and not get too engaged with the man no matter how nice he seemed. She wasn't naive. She knew not everyone who acted nice was really nice. Still, not to seem rude, and with this ridiculous need to always pleased people, Vanya tried to stay nice and polite too why caused problems in the office? It didn't go so well.

When Harold started to ask her subtly out, she knew better. Vanya told him politely that she was not interested. She did not expect him to be so persuasive. And the fact that he was nice was even more of a problem because she almost didn't have the heart to constantly tell him no. Most of the time, she had Allison but then he seemed to pick up on that and started to find her whenever she was all alone close to the end of the working day.

'Let's go for dinner?' he asked smiling 'you said you didn't have anything better to do in the moment.'

She swallowed a bit knowing she walked into that one. Instead of asking her right away, he talked about his plans for the weekend making her think she was safe and confess she didn't really have anything to do today. Rookie mistake.

They were both waiting for the elevator which was another thing she grew a bit uncomfortable to do when he was around. Vanya used to think meeting Mr. Hargreeves inside would be bad but this was far worse, as she often felt like Harold stood just too close entering her personal space and just looking at her and talking like it was no big deal. She wasn't sure how to tell him to back off fearing that if she stepped away he would follow and the two of them would end up against the wall. Just the thought of that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Not sure how to even get out of the potential date, she was actually close to agreeing the elevator door opened and Mr. Hargreeves looked from one to another his expression changing a bit from hostile coldness to something more emotional like frustration.

Since they started to meet in his office, he made sure to stay true to his words and act very professionally with her often giving her the strange cold attitude which he seemed to present to everyone in the company. Since their two meetings in the elevator, Vanya never saw the man smiling or smirking, and given that she couldn't ask about it without revealing the elevator and restroom incident, she wondered if perhaps that were the only occasions he dropped the reserved façade. Still, even frustration and some sort of anger were new.

'Ah, James, good to see you,' said Harold and waited for Vanya to walk inside putting his hand on her lower back which made her embarrassed and uncomfortable at the same time before she managed to dance around it.

Since Mr. Hargreeves didn't move an inch, she quickly slid to his side forcing Harold to stand on the other side as far away from her as the small elevator allowed. It brought her some relief not to be forced into Harold's orbit again.

The ride was silent, and she honestly wished for it to stay that way and somehow manage to sneak out. Of course, that wouldn't be the case when Harold spoke, 'So I can take you home-'

She shot him a panicked glance she couldn't even pretend to change into something else because a, she did not want to go, and b, she did not want her boss to assume she was involved with Harold in any way and c, no way in hell she was letting Harold know where she lived.

She found it humiliating for someone to think she was up to something with anyone. Even in her previous job, she liked work to stay separated from her personal life. She just didn't want her co-workers to gossip behind her back about where she lived, who she went out with, her family, her life. She hated the idea of it, and even if she was close with some people from the office, she could never imagine bringing them home for coffee or anything like that. Her mamochka always told her she was being antisocial, but it was the only way Vanya was used to act. Growing up, she always felt like the poorest kid in class, so whenever she made friends or had a group project with someone, she never offered to invite them to her house. It was a smart thing really because it didn't matter to who she went all her classmates had better houses, toys, clothes families. She loved her mamochka and knew she did everything she could for her, but Vanya often felt embarrassed about her life and much rather kept it away from her friends. She felt physically ill whenever she thought about them pitting her or assuming she was poor. And so even in her adult years, she rarely let people into her apartment or her life. It was better that way, safer.

'I'm very sorry, but I don't feel like going out tonight,' she said hoping Mr. Hargreeves wasn't even listening to them or she would have to crawl under a rock.

'Well, that's a pity. I know this perfect Chinese place. You would love it,' he said looking like a real-life kicked puppy. There was no way, she could just let him look at her like that. Sometimes she wished she was more like Allison in not taking crap from anyone and knowing when to hold her ground and not just be nice and pleasing.

'Maybe some other time,' she said because she felt this nausea like she always did. Always too eager to please someone. Be good to people, Vanya. Always be good and kind and good things will happen. Her mamochka often told her so and she tried to live by it but she hated it sometimes. It wasn't even about her being reminded of it but by this need to be good and kind. She didn't want to be a bad person, but sometimes, she wanted to be the person who wouldn't get pushed around. The closest she got to it was when she stood up to Mr. Hargreeves who was now frowning at the buttons on the elevator no doubt hating to be in the situation listening to Harold asking her out as well. Gosh, he must have thought they were ridiculous since he looked so annoyed.

Harold on the other hand smiled and caught onto what she said, 'Next week then-'

'Mr. Jenkins, should I remind you about the probation you are on?' asked Mr. Hargreeves still looking at the buttons instead of either of them when he spoke so suddenly.

'James?' asked Harold sounding a bit confused and all the good mood reduced.

'As you know certain things happened last year which were only resolved in your father's word that you would behave and a set of rules you will follow throughout the year,' Mr. Hargreeves now looked at him so Vanya couldn't see his face only Harold's. His confusion was now shifted toward worries and panic, 'I don't think-'

'And I don't think you should try your luck any more than you already did, Mr. Jenkins,' cut in Mr. Hargreeves sounding almost angry now, 'I suggest you look for your dinner friends elsewhere and not among the female co-workers.'

Vanya quickly looked in front for her as Harold tried to look at her. She wasn't sure what it was all about, but since Allison warned her about the man, she could imagine his attempts to date someone backfired. Still, she was endlessly grateful for both Mr. Hargreeves' interference and the elevator reaching the ground floor as she walked out of it while he and Harold stayed behind talking some more.

She waved to Luther who looked curious about what happened and rushed home not stopping once.

* * *

The following day, she gathered some courage to thank Mr. Hargreeves when she met him in the elevator in the morning, but before she could he said in a firm voice without looking at her, 'Ms. Babkin, you would do far better if you learned to stand your ground more and not be such a pushover.'

Her cheeks went crimson thinking she didn't hear him correct when he looked down at her, 'I _asked_ Mr. Jenkins to keep his distance from you if he somehow violates my request, let me know immediately,' he said his voice growing oddly different by the end of the speech. Was he worried? He did help her out and probably wanted to protect her if he told Harold to back off even if he was a bit dick about her being a pushover.

She nodded and looked away trying to remind herself it was just his personality and maybe in a way he did care about his employees just had a hard time showing it without losing his status as a boss, 'Still, thank you, Mr. Hargreeves.'

Vanya looked at him and offered him a small smile. He deserved as much.

He watched her for a moment his eyes looking all over her face before he nodded shortly and turned away not returning the gesture with his lips but looking a bit more relaxed than usual anyway. 'You're welcome, Ms. Babkin.'

* * *

When Vanya heard one of her colleagues refer to Mr. Hargreeves as Robot Boss, she found the nickname fitting. Post the incident in the elevator when she was _sure_ he was flirting, he now treated her with nothing but respect and professionalism which made her feel right at home, well at work. He never made any comment regardless of the incident in the restroom and elevator keeping their conversations only on the work they needed to do. The only time he ever seemed to run off course was to save her from Harold but that was a month ago and since then it was purely work things.

It made Vanya wonder that perhaps he was a stoic workaholic and maybe flirting with her was a one-time incident, he never did with anyone else before. At least not with an employee although since she heard whispers of him never dating anyone in public there was a chance it might have been the only time, he flirted with _anyone_ period. She was a bit skeptical though.

James Hargreeves was one of the most handsome men she ever saw in real life at least in her opinion. Maybe he wasn't pretty poster boy handsome, but Vanya thought he carried a certain manly beauty typical for his gender. He had dark hair, a strong jaw, and bright eyes which even though look cold were captivating in a way. She would be a liar if she couldn't admit even to herself, she found the man intriguing in the least and if maybe he wasn't her boss, and he flirted with her without the topless incident, she wouldn't mind going home with him. Still, as quick as such thoughts came especially when she rode with him in the latest hours in the elevator when it was just the two of them in a small dark space, Vanya just as quickly chased them away. No need to fantasies about absurd things that would never happen, when she needed to work and live in the real world. Not to mention the flirtation was more or less an error in his judgment for sure. People like him. Pretty people in power and status were always seen with other people either of power or money or both not with someone like her. He should be dating either a model or an executive of some other global company. Yes, she could picture him with a tall blonde woman who looked like a goddess or a very sophisticated and intelligent dark-haired CEO. She always continued to think not someone like her before she mentally scoffed herself. Of course, he wouldn't date her. He was her boss. She didn't want to date him. And despite the flirting, he wasn't in any way like that.

Vanya caught the way he behaved toward others and even if the conversations were light like he asked them about their families and how they were it seemed like something he simply found polite to do so not because he was too interested in it. She wouldn't say he didn't care at all. Proof being how he saved her from Harold, who had been avoiding her for the past month thank God for that. But it was like he purposely didn't want to get involved. Like he knew he was the boss, the head of the company, and it meant he couldn't be friendly with the people around them or they wouldn't respect him. Personally, Vanya understood it. He was in no way here to make friends with them, he was their boss after all. Yet, she also wondered if it wasn't his nature and something he was more comfortable in. So it was safe for him to act around people reserved rather than open, and he stuck to it. Maybe she was just thinking about him too much.

With the adding months, Vanya got used to that side of him almost forgetting about the behavior from the elevator entirely thinking he would always be just a boss to her from now on until one time she came into his office and found him not wearing his suit jacket.

It momentarily caused her to pause in her track before walking further inside with news she had about her _investigation_.

She had a feeling he was only partly listening to her but made questions and orders about what she should check next as she made her way to leave, he asked catching her off guard.

'Why sneakers?'

She blinked and looked down at her shoes for a moment unsure if she didn't forget herself this morning to change. She was wearing heals now.

'Excuse me?'

'Sometimes when we meet in the elevator, you're wearing sneakers, why?' he explained and Vanya felt embarrassed by being caught like that and having to explain herself another habit from her childhood. She never wanted to admit doing something differently than others whether it was wearing the same clothes all year or not going on school trips to save money. She just didn't like people to look at her and think she was poor like it was a bad thing, a disease they could catch from her if they weren't careful or which they wanted to cure by buying her lunches and bringing her their old clothes which never fit.

'It's a long walk from the subway,' she confessed not sure what excuse to use anyway.

Mr. Hargreeves frowned a bit before he said, 'You walk.'

'From the subway, yes,' she said watching him wondering if it was his money which made it hard to believe there were people who walked anywhere.

She thought he would say something else with the way she could see the wheels behind his eyes spinning, but in the end, he didn't the cold face returning.

He told her that it would be all after that and that she could return to her work. She was close to pulling another after hours, but at least now she was getting a bonus for it so she didn't mind. Honestly, she didn't mind even before, how pathetic was she? She really lacked a life outside of her working and her mamochka, didn't she?

When she walked into the empty elevator, she caught herself feeling a tiny bit disappointed until she reached the lobby and found Mr. Hargreeves waiting there with the security guard.

'Ah, Ms. Babkin, just in time,' he told her and waved for her to follow him much to her confusion. She waved her goodbye to Luther and hurried after their boss, who led her toward the underground parking lot.

'Are you planning to murder me here?' she asked before she could stop herself immediately regretting it and feeling like an idiot.

'Quite the opposite,' he said with a small smirk which made her think he would say something teasing before he told her to get in. Why was it he only ever show signs of acting like a normal human being when they were alone?

'I'm taking you home,' he informed her like there was no room for objections opening the car door to a very expensive car the name she didn't even know of and which probably cost more than her yearly salary. She wondered if it was bulletproof as well.

Even if she had perfectly good hearing, and she understood what he said just fine, it took her a moment to fully process it and answer, 'Uh, what?'

'The only reason you're here this late is because you're working on the assignment, I ordered you to do. No decent woman should walk in a dress this late at night alone,' he told her and got in waiting for her. If for a moment Vanya caught his eyes lingering over the place the skirt ended and her legs in stockings began, she chased it away.

She tried to argue. Surely, he didn't actually plan to take her all the way to the other part of the city just to get her home, _safely_. Maybe he was trying to lure her into sex. She would believe it if he didn't spend the last couple of months more or less ignoring any chance of a conversation outside of their work not to mention not flirting with her anymore.

Either way, she couldn't let him drove her. That wouldn't be good. People would notice. People would start rumors. She already thought she caught Allison's eyebrow twitch when she told her again she was called to Mr. Hargreeves' office and assumed she only got the job because she flashed him in the men's restroom. This would be so much worse. Someone would definitely notice, Luther already noticed they left and came around the same time what if he said something to someone? She felt sick to her stomach just thinking about the possibility of it.

'I don't want anyone to think there is something going on here. I have a reputation, you know?' she told him still not getting in the car she was also worried she would dirty with the mud from her sneakers.

He sighed obviously losing his temper a bit with her which was a new addition to the spectrum of emotions she saw his face reveal so far, 'And I don't? Do you think I would look good if people thought I was screwing my employees?'

Even if he used a softer term she still found it offensive and she found herself again holding her ground and without batting and eyeing saying, 'You would blow over, I would be marked for life. You know there is a double standard. So for you it would be just a slap on the wrist for me it would be everyone assuming I only got this job because I slept with you, every promotion, every achievement would carry a shadow and even if I wanted to find a new place it would follow me around like a stigma and they either wouldn't hire me because of it at all or would think they deserve the same reward for it. And don't try to tell me it wouldn't be like that. I'm nice, not stupid or naïve.'

Mr. Hargreeves watched her for another moment, and even if she knew she did the right thing by speaking her mind, she couldn't help but feel shocked she did. She was never this open with a superior about anything let alone something like this. She almost expected him to argue, or tell her to leave that she was being inappropriate, but instead, he looked away smirk a tiny bit like he enjoyed her speech before he turned back to her the smirk gone but so was the coldness of his persona as he said, 'No one will find out, I promise.'

Oddly, she found herself believing him. She didn't know him. She knew this would definitely cause people to notice and get the wrong idea. He couldn't _promise_ her no one would speculate. It was simply not possible, and yet she believed him despite it all.

'Now come on before we really cause a scene.'

Still unsure about it, she did get in and let him drive her home apologizing like three times for her muddy sneakers before he told her to shut up but looking anything but annoyed.

It was a mistake for many reasons. Not just the possibility of being labeled the office slut. One, it would spoil her because sitting in a nicely warm and comfortable car which might have cost more than what she made in a year would definitely beat walking, sitting on a subway with creeps and weirdoes and then walking again. Two, it was even closer and more intimate than their ride in the elevator. She could practically feel his arm move against hers from time to time despite the fabric of their sleeves. Three, the awkward silence was far worse than ever before.

Still, maybe because she was a bit tired and the codex of what was allowed in the office and what not seemed non-existing sitting next to him this close in the car, she found herself asking, 'You think Mr. Jenkins is stealing from the company.'

It was something that had been running inside her mind since she started to investigate the inconsistencies. It could have all been explained as a mistake, but it was too much money and too often to feel that way. Mr. Jenkins was the CFO, he should have noticed something like that far sooner than her and discuss it with Mr. Hargreeves but he didn't. It made sense if it was him doing the illegal activity himself.

'My father hired Jenkins about twenty years ago,' he started after a moment of watching the road, 'He said he liked Jenkins. My father was,' he smirked a bit again, 'an asshole.'

The statement surprised her.

'A narcissistic asshole who only cared about profits and money rather than people. Most of his _friends_ were the same, and still, he didn't have a problem to tank them if it would help his goal. If he considered Jenkins someone he liked and a friend, he must be the same. When I started to work in the company, Jenkins was the first one to support me and encourage me in trying to take the lead one day, which was odd since most of the people were just polite faces who wanted to remind me that my father was still in charge. I didn't trust him, I knew he was an opportunist and could predict I would be the CEO one day. But he supported me all the way when father became unfit to take care of the company and then when I cleaned the house, I thought fair is fair to leave him in his position. He was ruthless and good in his job, or so I thought. Lately, however, there had been piling up mistakes which Jenkins blamed on the staff, so I did some digging. Most of the new staff he hired were proven to be highly incompetent and underqualified. I thought it was because they were all easy on the eye before you pointed me in the right direction.

Vanya took his speech in and asked what was burning in her mind since she saw him in the elevator. 'Was it because of you? Is that why I got hired?' He knew what she meant was: _Was it because I was in my bra in front of you?_

He smirked again adding to her humiliation but quickly explained. 'Yes, but not because of what you think. Jenkins often threw his employees under the bus for being incompetent and that he only hired them because they were the best of the candidates after which I forced him to show me the resumes of those he seemed fitting. When we first met, and you ran to the stall I saw your resume and noticed you were perfect if not too good. I decided to test him. He brought me a pile of resumes but yours wasn't there and when I asked him he lied to my face. I knew your name so it wasn't hard to find your phone number and have my assistant hire you. But make no mistake it was for your skills and work not because of the color of your bra although I would lie if it didn't cause me to actually notice you.'

Once again Vanya found herself feeling incredibly relieved thanks to Mr. Hargreeves wondering if it wouldn't become a habit. She would be a tiny bit offended that he mentioned her ugly bra again but the smirk on his face was genuine amusement and not menace so she let it slide this one time.

'What are you planning to do next?' She asked returning to the important issue.

Mr. Hargreeves sighed, 'Call the police and fire him. But I want more evidence from you. He had been doing this for a while maybe even since father was around and he covered it up by hiring idiots who wouldn't catch him. He was smart about it and thought he would get away with it. I want him to pay for all of it.'

Vanya nodded understanding his motives. It was his company and even if he didn't fully trust Mr. Jenkins or consider him a friend, he trusted him enough to be CFO which meant a lot.

They talked a bit about other things the city where they lived and differences between certain parts of it. Common things nothing too personal but Vanya still felt strange. The man hardly knew her and he trusted her to investigate a long working employee in fraud and theft.

She also thought about the way he spoke with Harold. It was polite but short. The other man said they knew each other since diapers when he was trying to chat Vanya up, but Mr. Hargreeves appeared quite hostile to him. With employees, he was also polite but professional never asking about anything too personal, yet he asked about her sneakers, took care of Harold for her, and went out of his way to get her home. She would assume he was trying something, but he promised her not to hurt her reputation and actually avoided making fun of the restroom incident. She found herself thinking more and more that maybe he was lonely. It definitely felt that way. She wondered what caused him to look so down today in his office. He always looked like a perfect model of style, order, and tidiness. Nothing was out of place, everything as it should but today he looked almost down and lost in thoughts. Maybe she was over-thinking. Projecting her own feelings onto a man out of her league and her boss with whom she could never have any other relationship but a professional one. That was good. It was what she wanted after all. All her life she pushed people from her workplace as far away from her out of her not-work life as possible. She felt safe like that and in control. It was good, but still, it caused her to feel strange now like maybe she also wanted not to have to hold up her façade every day. Being the perfect employee, always nice and kind, always staying professional toward everyone.

She tried to get rid of such strange thoughts blaming them for being tired and comfortable in the warm expensive car before she said, 'Thank you for the ride, Mr. Hargreeves.'

For a second after she said that, she would have sworn he said something.

'Pardon?' she asked unsure if she heard what she thought she did, 'Uhm?'

The man stayed silent before he shook his head and offered her a nod no smile or smirk however, 'It's nothing. Good night, Ms. Babkin.'

She got out of the car and walked to the doorstep of her building. When she turned around, she found him waiting for her to get inside.

Vanya raised her hand and gave him a short wave before disappearing inside up the stairs to her apartment. She thought she heard him say _call me, Five_. Maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her why would he want to be called a number instead of his name?

She wondered if she shouldn't invest into a car to avoid future rides home before she went to bed.

* * *

It took her another two weeks to go through every single number in the finances of the company dating more than twenty-one years ago. But Vanya was anything but a quitter when it came to numbers, so she managed and finally present a complete report of what she found out to Mr. Hargreeves on a Thursday morning.

During those two weeks, her boss drove her from work every day or sent a man, his chauffeur, who said to just call him _Hazel_ who did it for him. She was embarrassed and worried the first time the large man who might as well be Mr. Hargreeves's bodyguard approached her and told her he was asked to take her home, but after a phone call from her boss, who apparently had her number and ordered her to save his, she accepted making sure no one saw them.

'Do you often drive employees of Mr. Hargreeves home?' she asked on the third ride getting fed up with the voices of the radio hosts.

'Ma'am, I never even drove home a girlfriend of Mr. Hargreeves let alone an accountant,' he told her smiling to himself like he knew something she didn't which annoyed her enough not to correct him in not being an accountant.

Still, the rides with Mr. Hargreeves weren't so bad. She still felt paranoid that someone would see them, but at the same time enjoyed the extra hour of just being able to talk to someone. After the initial quick friends-co-worker phase passed she only ever spent time with Allison and Ben from the IT department. And she had a feeling many people didn't like her because she either worked too fast or too much, or because she didn't really talk about her life outside of the office. So adding Mr. Hargreeves was actually nice. They remained to talk about work things but also moved to topics, like books, tv shows, movies, music, politics, and life. It was almost bizarre how often their interests and opinions overlapped Mr. Hargreeves joking at one point that they could be contraparts. She still thought there was a fair share of differences, but it was true that in some things they were almost identical.

Since it was just the two of them inside his office when she came to report the finalization of her investigation, Mr. Hargreeves smirked and said, 'Gosh, the bastard part of me wish father was still sane enough to understand this and know that asshole was robbing him for years.'

Vanya raised her brow, 'He was robbing you too, sir.'

'It would still be worth it,' he said and Vanya not for the first time wondered about Mr. Reginald Hargreeves, James Hargreeves's father and the founder of the company. It wasn't the first time she heard her boss speak poorly of his father. So far she had yet to hear him say a nice word about the man even if she supposed not all parents are good ones.

She knew about him ever since she entered the business industry, but it was the bare minimum really. She knew the basics. A man who came from old family money and instead of investing and doing nothing got into the industry and made a fortune doing seriously risky business. He built his company, earned even more money. A few years ago his only son, James, took it over. The employees were mostly new and those who weren't really didn't like talking about him, but they all agreed that James Hargreeves was a decent boss. Maybe not the best, but he wasn't a cold-hearted asshole. Vanya saw him act restricted and cold. She also saw him to be a bit of a jerk at times maybe not asshole though. Whenever he himself mentioned his father, not dad but father, she couldn't help but feel the anger almost touchable in the air.

'I take it he wasn't the best of fathers,' she said biting her tongue instantly. She shouldn't have said that. It was inappropriate. They had a working relationship and even if they talked about things outside of work never family or friends, not like this at least not directly.

Mr. Hargreeves chuckled and raised his brows seemingly not taking it as something serious, 'Remember when I said he was a narcissistic asshole? I don't think they could make the best parents. I feel like the first time I actually met him was when I was thirteen. Before that, I only knew him as the man who ordered the nannies and maids in the house. He wasn't your typical parental figure. The most credit I could give him was paying people to take care of me, the schools and getting a job here.'

She nodded thinking it was the end of it before he said, 'My greatest fear would be ending up like him.'

Vanya looked carefully taking in that the smirk presented on his face was a bit bitter, 'Although I believe it is unavoidable for some aspects of our parents to imprint into us. Don't you think?'

She wanted to dodge the question but felt a bit of pressure from him opening up like that. She felt like she should give him something back.

Her eyes moved across his desk focusing on the small hourglass which seemed to rotate every time one end became too full.

'I guess. I try not to be like my mamochka, but it's like her upraising is pushing me to act a certain way or do things in a certain way. It isn't bad but sometimes I feel like if I was raised differently I would act differently too, and feel better about my choices,' she kept her eyes on away from him.

There was a momentarily silence and Vanya wondered if he wanted to ask her some more. _What choices? Do you feel bad a lot?_

Instead, the first thing which came out of his mouth was, 'How fluent are you in Russian?'

She looked at him smirking a bit somewhat grateful he didn't like any of the other questions she assumed he would even if amused and curious why he chose now to ask her that, 'Very, but we speak English with each other except for a few words which aren't translated correctly.'

The way his eyes continued to watch her made her tremble a bit and think that if any other man in a bar on the street look at her like that, she would know for sure he was planning to make a move.

Mr. Hargreeves, however, put his elbow on his desk and hid the smirk, or dare she say smile, behind his hand, 'It's a very pretty word. Mamochka.'

She felt her cheeks getting red again. She grew a habit of doing when he caught her admit to something personal and silly, 'I didn't notice I still call her that.'

'You should. It's a nice word. It shows you have a close relationship,' he assured her that he wasn't mocking her choice of referencing to her mother.

His phone buzzed on the desk, but he made no move to pick it up which caused Vanya to feel her pulse speed up realizing she had his full attention. Not something to be taken lightly to be sure. Even when they spoke in the office or in the car he often checked his phone, made a call, sometimes asked her to handle his emails while he drove.

Him not caring about who was calling gave even more into the importance of their personal feelings exchange.

Vanya wasn't sure what to do next, but knew she couldn't just stay there with him, 'I should return to my desk.'

He nodded immediately releasing her from his gaze and looking at the phone, 'There will be an official meeting tomorrow at 10 A.M about Jenkins and what happened. Your presence is mandatory, Ms. Babkin.'

She was surprised but on the other hand, understood why he would want her there if she was the one doing the research and investigation. She told him she would be there and left with a small smile on her face she didn't realize she had until Allison asked her what got her in such a good mood.

Vanya honestly didn't know. She wasn't thrilled or happy about Mr. Jenkins being fired or how it would affect the company or his son. She wasn't happy about being a part of some higher staff meetings either. Was she happy about the chat she had with Mr. Hargreeves? Maybe…

She shook her head and got back to work ignoring everything else. She didn't have time for this.

* * *

Yesterday Vanya was taken home by Hazel, and Mr. Hargreeves wasn't in the elevator that morning either. She felt sort of nervous about the upcoming events. She knew she shouldn't. She would probably only be asked to summarize her report and her boss would do most of the talking. She could even read it, and it wouldn't be the first time she stood in front of a room full of her superiors, but she still felt this pressure on top of her chest thinking about it. By the time 10 o'clock came around she had the weirdest idea that if she saw Mr. Hargreeves, she would somehow magically feel better. Why? She had no idea, but she found herself hoping to run into him on her way to the conference room on the second top floor. She even came a bit early telling herself it was just to go over what she would say one more time not because somehow the idea of seeing her boss would calm her that was ridiculous.

When the elevator door opened, she paused at the sight of two police officers who were waiting behind the conference room along with Mr. Hargreeves's secretary, Agnes.

Vanya walked closer thinking that her boss wouldn't wait until now to give Jenkins to the authorities, right?

As a cue, there was some commotion behind the door and glass shattered which caused the two officers to share a quick look before they rushed inside both Vanya and Agnes sharing a worried glance before stepping closer to one another.

The men came out soon enough with a cuffed Jenkins whose shirt was wrecked and his face red. Vanya's blood went cold when the man looked at them and snapped, 'The fuck are you looking at?'

She didn't say anything just continued to watch him before Mr. Hargreeves came out of the office with covering his nose mumbling something.

'Sir?' asked Agnes and their boss removed his hand which was when Vanya startled notice blood dripping from down to his shirt.

'I asked for some ice and a new shirt.'

'Oh Lord,' gasped Agnes, 'I will call an ambulance.'

'The meeting starts in a few. Please go get me that shirt and distract the others for a few moments,' said Mr. Hargreeves not leaving any room for argument before he went back inside.

Agnes looked at Vanya as if she should know what to do before she really rushed off to get the shirt. Feeling hopeless and useless just standing there, she walked after her boss pausing in the doorway as she found him with his head raised looking at the ceiling.

'Does it hurt?' she asked knowing that was a stupid question which he rewarded with a grumpy, 'Does it look like it hurts?'

'Severely.'

'Well add like ten to that and the pain might be adequate,' he said and looked down brushing his nose, 'I think he bent it a bit.'

Vanya walked closer putting her notes to the side shoving his hands away to take a better look even from the distance of her height, 'Yes, it's a bit to the side. You need to get it fixed.'

'I'm not canceling the meeting,' he said putting his fingers on his nose again moving it a bit before groaning from pain.

'Don't, it needs to be done quickly and precisely,' she told him and took his wrist moving his hand once again away from his face. It was nauseating to look at his bloodied face, but she swallowed it down and took his nose between her index and middle while looking into his confused eyes.

'What are you-?'

'My mamochka once almost broke her nose when she walked into a door. I fixed it for her too. It's not hard but has to be quick. It will hurt a bit though,' she told him not sure why she was doing this in the first place or why he suddenly took a hold of the table behind him as if giving her the permission to do it. What a weird day.

'Ready, Mr. Hargreeves?'

'Five,' he said and raised her brows, 'You want me to count to five?'

'No, if you have your fingers on my face and want to fix my nose, you call me Five,' he explained looking at her studying her face. So she wasn't imagining it when she thought he called after her, after their first car ride to call him Five. Not James, but Five. It was weird and she was positive there was a story behind it, but all she did was nodded at the moment and said, _Vanya_ while pulling his nose to the side until she felt the click she remembered from her mamochka's _surgery_.

She felt Five gript the table tighter, but he didn't move an inch and in a second it was over anyway. He took a deep breath, 'Definitely better. Thank you, Vanya.'

Vanya smiled a bit trying not to show the shiver that ran through her body when he said her name before she answered. Maybe not a good idea for him to use her first name, 'You're welcome, Five, and I'm sorry.'

Agnes came in with a shirt breaking their private chat and both women left their boss to change while Vanya went to wash her hands trying not to think about what she just did both because it made her want to laugh hysterically and quit.

When she came out Mr. Hargreeves-Five was waiting for her and told her how he planned to start the meeting when she should read her report and what next.

It was over rather quickly even with some people's disbelieved outbursts. Mr. Hargreeves-Five didn't give them a chance to even try to discredit her but let her answer every one of their questions on her own with a nod and encouraging look on the face.

Before the meeting was over he dropped another bomb though, when he said all the staff of the financing department will go under series of test to decide their future in the company named her as the next CFO to replace Jenkins causing her to stare at him with wide eyes open and shocked.

Five ended the meeting and everyone started to leave the room no doubt to hurry and either gossip about what happened or to arrange everything to adjust to the new change.

Once the last person was gone, Vanya looked over at him feeling the dread in her stomach returning, 'You promised no one would think we're involved.'

He offered her a smirk, 'And I keep it.'

'I'm not here even a year. How will it look that that I suddenly got Jenkins position?' she asked looking at him already coming up with hundreds of different reasons why this would be a bad idea.

'That you were overqualified for your previous position. The only one who managed to catch onto Jenkins' stealing, and because I said so.'

She gave him a look, 'That's not how it works.'

'Yesterday you told me you regret sometimes acting the way you do and the decisions you make,' he started before leaning closer to her which wasn't too hard because he was sitting right next to her at the head of the table. It didn't help her stomach to feel on the water that he was even closer now looking at her like he had his entire trust in her

'You were made for this, and you can't pretend there isn't a single cell in your body that isn't screaming at you not to be so scared and take it.' Of course, he was right. How could he not be? She worked hard and even if only in her mind she knew she would be a better fit than anyone from their department, but she still had doubts she still felt it would all backfired.

'Vanya,' he said her name again clouding her judgment for a moment before her traitorous lips let out, 'Alright.'

He smirked at her in the most leisure way imaginable and Vanya's mind immediately traveled to forbidden places where she would like to see him smile like that again.

'Good girl,' said Five as if that wasn't the most inappropriate thing imaginable to say to an employee before he abruptly stood up and walked toward the back of her chair pulling it for her and in a sign to stand up.

'Would you like to take the rest of the day off or get to work?' he asked, and she knew he was still smirking which she confirmed when she turned to look at him. How was it that he was so hot? Was it just the boss persona? She really needed to start dating or something.

She thought about what he said before she shook her head, 'I want to start today. It would look even worse if I would take days off just after getting the job.'

He nodded and walked her out before she paused, 'Did you plan this? All along?'

He shrugged his shoulders, 'I told you. I suspected Jenkins for a while now in doing something shady, and I knew you were the best candidate but still overqualified for the job. You still working on the report was a test of your abilities, yes, but you earned it all by yourself.'

As she thought about it all still feeling dizzy from the escalation, Five leaned closer to her, close enough that she could feel his breath on her face before he moved to her ear and whispered, 'I don't give up jobs just because someone looks pretty in a bra.'

He glanced at her only shortly before walking away leaving her to stand there in the hallway to put herself back together before facing her colleagues, now employees.

She should definitely consider quitting, she told herself as her legs slowly stopped to shake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Thank you for reading and support. Any feedback is welcomed. Have a nice day.


	3. Chapter 3

Getting used to the new position and now having employees under her needed some adjustment. Vanya would like to think of herself as a polite, intelligent, sometimes funny, and friendly person, but in no way, she was a people person or someone to give orders.

The initial shock of what Mr. Hargreeves/Five told her after he announced her promotion quickly vanished once she got cornered by nearly everyone in her department asking what happened and what to do now and if she wanted coffee and other questions she either didn't want to answer or knew the answer to. She started simply by heading to Jenkins office and getting into his work computer which proven to require Ben's help to get over the password, but once she was in, she got the work by getting familiar what her predecessor's job description was and urged the others to do the same. Unsuccessfully, since everyone couldn't stop talking to each other about what happened, and the department looked more like a zoo than a working place.

She let it slide for the day since she remembered when her ex-boss announced the bankruptcy and how not even she could concentrate on anything else. But after that she had to with a heavy heart informed everything that they would be re-evaluated to determine if they would keep their job or not.

_Way to score extra points for being the boss who fired people on the second day._

'It's necessary,' told her Mr. Harg-Five as he drove her home the previous day.

'I know,' she sighed.

'Jenkins hired incompetent people to cover his mistakes,' he reminded her, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes at him, 'I know.'

'Good,' he said with a smirk looking all too pleased with himself. He didn't comment on what he told her after meeting today. However, she felt his hand brush hers far more often than usual while they were in the car sending goosebumps over her skin every time it did. Maybe she was just imagining it though. It was a long day.

She thanked him for the ride and walked out ready to facepalm the bed the moment she walked to the bedroom hoping the next day would be better.

* * *

It wasn't because telling people they could lose their jobs wasn't something which would improve Vanya's mood, but she went with it anyway with the support of Allison, 'Half of the people only got this job because of catching Jenkins' eye, not because of their brain. Trust me you will do them a solid at least they could try out the modeling career they were clearly born for.'

Vanya chuckled, 'What about you?'

'I'm an exception that you can look pretty, be smart and hardworking,' the other woman smirked to herself, 'I'm the whole damn package. Just like you.'

Vanya gave her a look and rolled her eyes, but Allison grinned, 'What you want to tell me the fact that Hargreeves gives you rides home is because he likes your brains?'

Her eyes widened, and she looked around to make sure no one was close to Jenkins' office. She still didn't call it _hers_ since it was only the second day and most of his stuff was still there. She just used the computer for now and chair but it was both the company's equipment, so she didn't feel too guilty about it.

'Who told you that? And it's not how it looks like,' she said quickly hoping she wasn't as blushing. This was exactly the reason, she didn't want Five to drive her from work, people would notice eventually and start talking.

'So it is true?' asked Allison almost delighted and Vanya cursed herself for walking into that one.

The other woman continued to smile, 'Relax. Luther told me. I thought he was joking that maybe you workaholics only left at the same time, but good to know.'

Vanya looked unsure at her. She didn't have many friends almost any, and her work friends were always kept separated from her home life. Partly because of her childhood, partly because no matter how many hours you spent with someone in the office you could never _really_ know the person. Not really. So even if Vanya ate lunch with Allison and thought she was friendly, confident and someone she could have a good chat with and maybe even someone she considered a work friend, she wasn't absolutely sure she could trust her. Not with personal stuff, not with secrets. She remembered when she was a child and told a classmate who she considered a friend at the time she was wearing clothes from a charity package her mom got. Big mistake. Kids could be cruel, but it served as a good example of why she shouldn't talk about her life or get people from work close. Not that Five giving her rides home was considered personal life, but it was close to it and honestly she told him that this would happen. She knew people would notice and talk and now Allison knew, and Vanya felt like she was close to a meltdown any second if the woman didn't stop smiling at her and tell her what she wanted to do with that information.

'So how is it?' she asked simply.

'We're not sleeping together!' said Vanya cursing herself for how loud her voice sounded and Allison grimaced, 'I mean if it isn't like it looks like, how it is?'

Vanya sighed a bit to calm a bit down, 'After I told him about the mistakes I found, he asked me to focus on it and get to the bottom of it which caused me to stay in work late. He didn't like me walking from the subway in the dark, so he started to give me rides if he wasn't too busy. Sometimes he sent his driver though.'

Allison was quiet for a while before she smiled, 'Well, do you like him?'

'He's our boss,' reminded her Vanya feeling like the room was getting hot and hoping she wasn't as red as a tomato. He was a hot millionaire who pressed her buttons and flirted with her making her heart jumpstart every time he did not to mention he had the deadliest and charming smirk she ever saw. Of course, she liked him a bit, but Allison did not need to know more than she already did.

'So you like him but deny yourself being with him, got it,' said the woman grinning and calling her out on her feelings toward Five.

'It's not funny,' she said trying to get Allison not to look so pleased and amused about it before she finished, 'and not true.'

'No, it's more like a beginning of an office romance,' she joked and Vanya found herself frowning, 'No way. If people even thought for a second we were involved they would start rumors and trash talks that I only got this promotion because of being _friendly_ with the boss.'

Allison's smile fell a bit and Vanya got a weird feeling sensing something was off, 'What?'

'You don't talk to many people around here, but some of them already know of this or suspect anyway.'

Vanya cursed and tried to think if she ever noticed anyone acting out. Not really, but that didn't mean they wouldn't soon, 'How long? Since when?'

'Day one?' she shrugged her shoulders, 'I thought nothing of it. Agnes gossiped that he was the one who hired you so that started it and then blew over. Then you started to visit his office for those meetings, so that started it again, but when they didn't saw any outcome, it blew over too. Now, after you got the promotion,' she smiled at her though, 'I should inform you, however, it doesn't really matter. Half of the people here thought I had something with Hargreeves, Jenkins, Smith and like three others. People are just people. At least the bad bunch. The good ones don't give a shit and just want to work and be friends with coworkers they like.'

Vanya tried to look at it like that but the damage was done and her stomach felt sick knowing people were talking about her and Mr. Hargree-Five behind their backs like that. This was exactly what she feared would happen, and it did, and of course, it happened now when she was promoted in the position she wouldn't even dream of having, and it would ruin everything.

'If it makes you feel better some are still too convinced he's gay,' said Allison casually and even if Vanya chuckled it sounded nervous, 'It doesn't, but thanks. This is exactly why I didn't want the promotion or to take rides with him.'

Allison shook her head, 'It wouldn't matter. People will always find something to talk about. If not Hargreeves it could have been Jenkins or that you're not good at your work, too skinny, too rich, too confident, too bitch. People who want to talk about you badly will always find something. You can't and shouldn't stay invisible just for the sake of them not being dicks. People should live their lives the way they want to, not live in fear of what people who aren't even their friends or whose opinion they don't even care about really, think. Just do what you do, show everyone how good of CFO you can be and let the other wash over. No one has the balls to confront you directly about it, not when there is a chance it might be true, and they would face Hargreeves's wrath. Trust me.'

Vanya tried to take her words to heart, but it made it extremely difficult to get anything done that day. She almost decided to leave early but didn't want others to notice.

_V: People already talk about us._

She wrote a text to her boss after two unproductive hours of overthinking and obsessing.

_James Hargreeves: Do you want me to take care of it?_

For some reason, she still wasn't comfortable enough to change his name in her phone. What if someone got to it? Like if she got hit by a bus and someone would find her phone to call for emergency and he would be there just as Five? He still didn't tell her why the nickname though, and on nights she couldn't sleep it was eating her a bit alive.

_V: What do you mean?_

_James Hargreeves: I could fire them if you told me who it was._

Vanya sighed. Somehow she thought that would make it worse.

_V: No….I just wanted you to know._

It took a moment for the next message.

_James Hargreeves: Are you alright?_

The question eased a bit of the stress knowing he asked and carried about her a bit. Despite looking all serious boss like he cared for his employees.

_V: I'll manage. But thank you for asking._

_James Hargreeves: Of course…can I still drive you home? If not, I can arrange only Hazel to take you from now on or someone else._

_V: No, that won't be necessary, but thank you again._

She realized only once she sent it that she texted it faster than anything else not even considering the offer. It would be what she wanted. She would get some distance from him and the talks would fade, and she would still get free rides home out of it. But the thought of not being able to talk to him some more outside the work made her feel oddly protective of it. She didn't want to lose their _free time_ to talk.

She sighed and got back to work doing a bit better now. Allison was right. It didn't matter if she stressed about it or not. People would always find something to talk about. It sucked and made her feel self-conscious, but at the same time understand there really wasn't anything she could do or which would hurt her since people really were afraid of Five, and he had clearly no problem firing them. Even if she didn't think it would be necessary it was good to know she had a back door in this.

* * *

About nearly two months after her promotion, Five came to her office unannounced. Well, in a way, he waited until her secretary Helen buzzed her, but he didn't tell her anything this morning in the elevator about coming.

She knew it was the first time he came since usually, they discussed work stuff in his office and not work stuff in the car. Vanya waited for him to properly look around taking in his expression. Even if he had the best poker face she ever saw she caught glimpses of approval or disapproval in the slightest movement of his brows or corner of his lips. It took her almost a month to finally allow Allison to convince her and do something about the office. She knew it was _her_ office now, and Jenkins was a moron, thief, and a terrible person, but she felt like it was rude to move into the place and move his stuff so soon after his arrest. However, once she did and filled the small room with things she liked and enjoyed she was grateful she did because it was like for the first time, she could properly breathe.

'Sir?' she said trying to bite down the smile which was pushing its way to her face as Five looked like he was done with the observation and turned his attention toward her, 'Do you have lunch plans?'

She blinked surprised by the question, 'Nothing particular.'

'Good, put on a coat we're going on lunch,' he told her his eyes falling at her desk before he walked closer.

'Lunch? But…,' she looked at the open door and lowered her voice while also making sure the intercom was turned off, 'We don't go on lunches, sir.'

'Today we do, Ms. Babkin,' said Five as if it was a sure thing and took the picture frame of her and her mamochka from her desk. It was a picture from when she was twenty-one finishing up college with her ridiculous bangs and she and her mamochka were smiling into the camera.

She tried to come up with a way to shot his proposal down lightly, 'Sir, I don't think it would be appropriate if the two of us would be seen in sitting in the cafeteria and…,' she suddenly realized something, 'I'm sure, I never even saw you eat there before. Do you even eat lunch?'

'Religiously,' he told her before he smirked his eyes shining with amusement which made her blush and wonder if he thought she looked ridiculous when she was younger.

'And I'm not asking you to the cafeteria-'

'Then double no. Can you imagine people saw us leave together?' she asked lowering her voice.

'You're overthinking it too much,' he told her as a matter of fact before he put the photo back on its place, 'A working lunch with one of our associates got canceled. I thought it wouldn't hurt to show people my support of your job by having a _working_ lunch with you, Ms. Babkin.'

She watched him for a moment not sure if she should. It would be easier to deny him if he wasn't so handsome and charming when he wanted to be.

'You already gave me the job how much more support do I need?' she asked with a raised brow before she watched his face getting an annoyed expression a bit like he was getting frustrated with her. The only other time she saw him like this was in the elevator.

She sighed already dreading the whole affair as she finally agreed. This would not end well, and she most certainly would not like the outcome of it.

Still, she stood up and walked toward her boss as he snatched her coat and prepared it for her to put it on, 'If anyone gives us a funny look I will leave.'

'And take the subway back?' he asked in a mocking manner which made her rethink her decision before she realized, 'Just how far from the building are you planning to take me.'

'As far as possible,' he told her as he helped her put the coat on his hands lingering on her shoulders a second longer or so she thought before he walked out of her office.

Most of the people were out on lunch as well, or they just politely greeted them on their way out and to Five's car like it was something which occurred often that given how Allison told her people around _notice_ them talking together a lot clearly was.

The ride was long but not as long as it took for him to drive her home before they stopped at what looked like a fancy _I'm going to propose tonight_ restaurant with a French name Vanya couldn't even pronounce.

She stopped Five on his way to the door planting herself between him and the door blocking it, 'Will the menu be in English?'

He chuckled a bit and smirked at her even letting his eyes show his amusement. Something he only ever allowed himself if it was just the two of them away from the office, 'Yes, for your information most rich people only act all intelligent and sophisticated.'

Five sneaked his hand around her and opened the door pressing it against her back, but not moving an inch which forced her to full-on press her chest against his in order to squeeze her way out of the door which he then purposely held for her.

She shot him an annoyed look. Also, something she only allowed herself to do outside of the office as well before she walked inside feeling her cheeks on fire as for a second, she got to feel his body even though their coats against hers. Her mind went into dirty corners real fast.

_Damn it. She needed to get laid._

Inside she paused again for a second taking in the beautiful façade which screamed elegant and expensive of the nicest restaurant she ever stepped foot in. It was so out of her league she felt her stomach shrinking itself as she saw the very well dressed and rich people there not to mention some of who she knew were industry tycoons or actual celebrities.

Five didn't seem fazed by any of it, and why would he? He obviously was raised and lived in that world and simply put his hand on her back guiding her closer to the coat check and then receptionist who smiled at him politely and then looked at Vanya. If she thought she didn't belong here, she was professional enough not to let it show and quickly led them to an empty table politely greeting them and everything.

Five who brought out his phone no doubt to check his emails and work before he looked at her his expression obviously confused, 'Something wrong? You're very pale.'

'I don't belong here,' mumbled Vanya once she was sure everyone was out of earshot.

Her boss blinked before he fully set his phone down, 'How come?'

'I'm not like you.'

'Like what?'

She grimaced, 'Rich.'

Five was silent for a moment, and Vanya wondered if maybe she didn't offend him before he looked around and pointed at a man in the back, 'That's Ralph Lauren. He started off as a son to two Belarus immigrants before Bloomingdale picked up the ties line and started selling, and if you look over there that's George Soros who was a souvenir shop clerk and baker before becoming a millionaire. And before you point out that they're men. Over there is Sheryl Sandberg who was the COO of Facebook,' he said as she opened her mouth indeed point it out.

They watched one another for a moment before Vanya looked down in front of her, 'Which fork do I use?'

'Whichever you want,' he said, and she sighed, 'I'm serious.'

'So am I,' he took his phone, 'I don't care which you use and if it makes you feel better I will purposely use the wrong one too.'

'But you know which one is the correct one. I don't want to look like a complete idiot _here_ ,' she said and looked down at the several forks in front of her.

'You care a lot about what people think of you, did you notice that before?' he asked, and Vanya looked away from the table feeling even more embarrassed and suffocating. She might skip eating altogether.

'Only because I don't want people to think less of me,' she confessed and took the glass of water.

Five looked away from his phone, 'Why would they?'

'People always find something. And unlike someone like you who screams confidence and high position, integrity, and power, I know I don't strike anyone like any of that so I'm an easy target to get ridiculed, shamed, disrespected. People would never allow themselves something like that toward you, but I'm not like you,' she said feeling a tiny bit of pride she managed to do so without flinching or looking away before the waiter came with the menu. It wasn't in French thank God.

They ordered, and Vanya was sure she let the conversation hit ice not to mention self-conscious about the fact that there were no prices on the menu, but the moment the waiter left, Five said, 'You have really low self-esteem.'

She rolled her eyes before she could stop herself and Five continued, 'Hear me out. Yes, everything you said is true on some level, but I think you often don't notice what people really think about you. Sure, they might see you as _weak_ and someone they can throw a punch at, but they also see a competition. Someone who's smarter than them and work her way up and got rewarded for that. They envy you and if that brings out the worst in them to reduce your worth that's a good thing. It means that you're so much better than them the only way for them to feel even a little bit, not like failures compare to you is to criticize you and make you small which you are not in any way.'

His eyes never left hers and made it hard for her to look away as well, 'I've been around rich spoiled people who pretend to be all the things you said my whole life. Believe me, when I say they are the _weak_ ones, and you're by far more interesting and stronger. And I don't see you accepting bullshit from me at least not lately.'

She didn't know what to say to all that luckily the waiter brought their food so she could have filled her mouth with it and not make an even bigger fool of herself.

She took the fork she saw Five eating with in the end not sure if he picked the right one or wrong one to mess with her and the people around them.

No one came to correct them, but she doubted anyone would have the guts to come to tell James Hargreeves anything. People didn't seem to pay them any more attention than they paid each other and the people around them.

'Do you come here often for lunch?' she asked while finishing her food, and he shook his head, 'Only when I'm eating with someone.'

'Well, where do you eat if you're alone?'

'In the office, but I am rarely on lunch which is not work-related somehow,' he said, and Vanya wondered if it was because he was so busy or because he didn't like to eat alone. He told her his childhood wasn't all that nice with only staff around which meant he probably ate alone quite often. He mentioned before he took over the company that Jenkins took him out on lunches to talk about the future of it. Maybe it was a welcoming change from to time not being alone.

* * *

Vanya couldn't ask Five if he felt lonely. People don't just ask that, but she could assume so. So whenever he asked her out for _work_ lunch she agreed but insisted on different locations, not just fancy French restaurants she felt underdressed for.

'You're taking me to a Chinese food truck?' he asked disbelieved and suspicious as he was parking close to the food truck areas.

'Don't knock it till you try it, Five. They make the best Chow Mein. I'm not making it up. They even had an article in Food and Wine,' Vanya said proudly and dragged him closer.

'Clearly, you've never been to China if you think this place has the best anything,' he said and she rolled her eyes, 'Humor me.'

Since it was a food truck, they had to take the food and sit on a nearby bench next to each other. It had its pros and cons. Food was delicious, and she didn't have to worry since she mastered learning how to eat with chopsticks. The only problem was because there were far more people sitting next to them they sat next to each other without almost any space between then. In the car, there was still some space left even if their elbows and arms bumped one another, but on the bench, her leg was right next to Five's and it left her feeling vulnerable and naked.

'It's not the best in the world, but it's good,' he commented when they were done and Vanya jumped out of the bench feeling her face on fire by the time.

She rolled her eyes, 'Me and the food truck accept your compliment and apology.'

'I didn't apologize,' he argued with a smirk and carried it on until they got close to the company.

Luckily, he either didn't notice or comment on why she was so still during lunch. It wasn't, of course, the first time she was close to Five, who only now she realized she stopped calling Mr. Hargreeves in her head and when they were alone. Oh no, they touched and got close very often with the result of her feeling hot in her cheeks and wondering how to remove herself from his proximate before it would cause a problem. She was attracted to her boss, and he either knew it which was why he teased her or he didn't either way. It didn't matter because obviously _nothing_ could come up from it, but she could dream and fantasies in the privacy of her bedroom about him. No office regulation could stop her. Not that there were any against dating or marrying a coworker, but Five despite being somewhat of a friend was still her _boss_. And in every one of her textbooks was a big _no_. Not to mention how would it even get to that. He obviously was only into teasing her not actually doing anything, and she knew herself all too well to know she would never make the first move. So whatever attraction she had or dare she say crush would stay just that.

* * *

Since being promoted Vanya was staying overtime often. She didn't mind which probably spoke about how pathetic her life was in a way, but she really loved her job and enjoyed that it actually mattered, and her opinions were considered even preferred. It had its ups and downs. Firing people was no fun, but hiring new one's kind of was, and during the few months that past she could tell the company was back on track. It felt good knowing she was doing so great and seeing the progress. She and Five continued with their work meetings in his office and rides home. He started to drive her more and more often to the point where she only saw Hazel a handful of times during a month. She would be lying if she said she didn't prefer it more that way. She enjoyed her conversations with Five and felt oddly close to him. There were still things they didn't discuss they never went too close to each other's families and personal life but by now she could honestly say she knew what kind of person he was. And she definitely had a thing for him.

By now the scene wasn't alien as she was on Five's couch barefoot because with a bunch of papers scattered around her, and him in his main chair, his jacket off and tie loosened as he was listening to her suggestions and other things. It was _office domestic_. Vanya would say that they could truly let their hair down with each other when it was just the two of them in the after-hours. Allison was right both of them were workaholics.

'I'm keeping you,' he said suddenly in the middle of her speech on improvements for the next year's budget. She felt her heart stop as for a second her stupid brain found the most non-platonic way to interpret it.

The brunette pushed it down knowing even if her fantasy was working overtime it didn't mean what she thought, 'I don't mind. I didn't have any plans.'

'You have no social life then,' he commented. Of course, he would catch onto it. She practically served him that one. But still _rude._

'Neither do you,' she replied and rolled her eyes at him when she saw him smirk at her knowing he was just pressing her buttons. Not necessary out of boredom. Sometimes he just liked to tease her a bit just because he could or found pleasure in it, but it was never malice at least not with the intention to truly hurt her.

When her phone rang both of them were surprised. Since their meetings or times in the elevator or his car, no one ever called her. Even more pathetic she knew, but the only people she was around with were her coworkers and why would they call her in such odd hours when they could talk the next day at work? So more or less no one called her unless it was her mamochka.

She didn't want her to wait too long on the line, so she answered planning to talk to her outside so Five wouldn't hear them. Of course, because she was barefoot, she needed to start putting on her shoes while already talking to her noticing how Five straightened himself in his chair looking at her.

'Hi,' she said hoping she didn't sound too guilty. Why should she be? She was working. Being in her boss's office in the after-hours barefoot on his couch was _working_.

'Hello Vanya, is it a bad time?' asked her mamochka softly immediately catching onto the strangeness of her a bit panicked voice.

'No, mamochka, it's fine,' she said and looked at Five noticing how his eyes went for curious and confused to _glowing_ and delightful as he stood up, 'Is that her? Let me hear her.'

Vanya's eyes widened and she shook her head trying to put her other shoe on faster. No way she wanted her mamochka to know she was still in work with her boss who she might have mentioned was the most handsome man on the planet the last time the Babkin women spoke while Vanya had a one glass of wine too many.

'How are you?' asked Vanya trying to get her to talk so she could work on her shoe which conveniently wouldn't fit.

'I'm good. Maggie stopped by today. She's teaching me how to play gin and we watched Moya prekrasnaya nyanya and Belaya gvardiya,' said her mamochka as Five came closer to her and stole her shoe from her hand while trying to get closer to her phone.

'Put it on speaker,' he said, and she shoved him upset pressing her index finger against her lips to indicate he should be quiet because her mamochka might be an older woman but in no way she was deaf.

She heard her stop talking for a moment and wonder if she did hear him. Both of them stopped moving with Five still holding onto her shoe which was ridiculous while she held her breath waiting.

'She's nice and doesn't gossip as much as Alina,' said her mamochka finally making her let out a relieved sigh.

'That's good. I'm glad you made a new friend,' replied Vanya and tried to get away again as Five now cornered her against the desk. Why did this man always end up pressing his body against hers and some object she couldn't back off from? Was he purposely trying to torture her with the idea of his chest against hers?

He snatched the phone away from her ear to hear her mamochka's response. Vanya realized she didn't try to push him away either. This could definitely be a case for sexual harassment if she wanted it to be. She shot the idea down the moment it raised. Who was she kidding? This was the most action she got in almost a year.

'Yes, but enough about me and my boring life. How is the youthful life, katyonak?' asked her mamochka and Vanya mentally cursed herself. Ah yes, she almost forgot her mamochka called her that from time to time like when she was little. And with the way, Five smirked at her and his eyes shone she was sure he wouldn't.

'It's fine, mamochka. Very nice. Work is alright. Everyone is nice and friendly,' she said shooting him a look as if telling him not say a _damn_ word about it.

His hand was still on hers nicely warm and firm as he held the phone away from her ear while she babbled away trying not to give anything away.

'Ah, and how is that handsome boss of yours?' asked the other woman, and Vanya closed her eyes feeling the wave of humiliation hit her completely. Of course, she would mention that part.

_'Handsome?'_ mouthed Five his smirk now turning into a grin with teeth and everything like he won the lottery.

She shook her head, 'I _never_ said he was handsome, mamochka.'

The woman made a noise on the other line like she chuckled, 'Of course you did, Vanya. Don't you remember? Last time-'

'Work is fine, and my boss is giving me a headache, but most of the bosses are like that,' she said frowning at him knowing there was no stopping his good mood now as he again mouthed _handsome_ to himself.

'Oh, what did he do? Something like that Mr. Jones? The one who made fun of you?' asked her mamochka and Vanya sighed, 'No, just giving me a lot of work and stress, but he's not like Mr. Jones, mamochka.' The funny thing about how easily people forget the bad things. Since working for the Umbrella Corporation, she forgot just how bad it was to work for her previous boss. Maybe because when she was forced to leave because of the bankruptcy she was so worried about her future, she would have stayed and bitten through the bad things which happened there. It wasn't just that he never listened to their ideas or suggestions, Vanya now remembered how often he called her incompetent and how she should stay in her line and not go into other fields. That she was just there to do the math and all kinds of other things usually with a chuckle like it was a joke, but she knew it wasn't. He was making fun of her and full of telling her she should stay in her place. Five was annoying her now and then yes, but he _never_ tried to degrade her just to being good with numbers and nothing more. He valued her opinions and took her dare she said as an _equal_. She doubted it was possible since they were boss and employee still, but she could _almost_ say they were friends on some level.

'Mr. Hargreeves can be _annoying_ ,' she said and looked him directly into the eyes, 'But he's a good man. He gave me the job, the promotion, and he listens,' she said noting how his smug look softened a bit and how the whole atmosphere around them changed from annoying and funny to something a bit more intense as Vanya became even more painfully aware that he was holding her caged between himself and the desk, while he was holding her hand with the phone.

'Alright, katyonak, I'm glad. I won't hold you any longer I want to go shower and then watch the news before bed. Don't work yourself too hard. And find someone to go on a date with-'

'Mamochka,' she sighed and looked away from Five's eyes knowing her cheeks were getting warm again.

'I know, I know, I told you hard work and good heart will get you anywhere, but don't forget to take care of yourself, I love you, Vanya. Good night,' said the other woman after a moment.

'I love you too, mamochka. Good night,' replied back the brunette before they heard the sound of the call ending. Despite that Vanya and her boss remained standing against the desk for another moment or two both watching the phone as if her mamochka was supposed to say something again.

'So I'm your _handsome_ boss,' said Five finally and Vanya closed her eyes before she replied, 'You're my _annoying_ boss.'

When she opened them, he was still smirking at her, and she realized they were still in the same position as before. Shouldn't they move away from each other? Shouldn't they distance themselves again?

'My shoe,' she said suddenly feeling her heart speeding up and knowing that if he didn't let her go now she would do something stupid, 'Can I have it back please?'

'Of course, katonak,' he said the charming smirk still present as he stepped away and even if he didn't say it correctly Vanya couldn't help but shiver when he said it.

'Don't call me that. Only my mamochka gets to call me that,' she said and reached out for her shoe but instead he of handing it to her, he shocked her by getting on his knee in front of her.

Vanya's mind went to overdrive. The first thought was this would be how he would look like if he was proposing to someone who had probably more to do with her lack of dates. Second, however, was even worse because this would be how he would look like right before hiking her skirt up, pushing her panties down and eating her out on his desk. Another fantasy to the dark corner inside her mind which she could access later when she was alone in the bed on her own. The third was what the hell was he doing?

He suddenly grabbed a hold of her ankle. Totally _not_ work environment and relationship friendly gesture.

'What are you-,' her question wasn't finished as he raised her leg and started to carefully put her shoe on her foot gently which made her head spin a bit.

'Well, now I feel like Cinderella,' she said absently because honestly, the situation was so bizarre she didn't know _what_ to say at all.

She heard him chuckle while staring at his now a bit messy from all day's work dark hair wondering if she would get away with running her fingers through it. He was holding her ankle after all so she should be allowed some compensation.

'You're more Belle. Smart, hard-working, dedicated,' he said just as he got the shoe on and lowered her leg back to the ground before letting her go.

Vanya had to mentally restrain herself _not_ to ask if that made him the Beast because that would imply, they were somehow romantically involved which would be just the cherry on top of the cake given the situation they were in.

'All done,' he said as he stood up looking at her with a pleased look on his face all tall, handsome and enigmatic as he said, 'katonak.'

She knew her cheeks were red. They had to be. If he wasn't looking at her and all which happened didn't happen, she would undo some of the buttons on her blouse because she felt so hot she must have started to sweat.

'It's katyonak,' she managed to say, 'And you're not allowed to say it _ever_.'

'But why? You call me, Five. It's only fair I have a nickname for you when we are in private as well,' he said, and she could tell he was going to use it quite often to the point she would have to quit her job or do something stupid like _purr_ for him.

'Katyonak,' he said the accent was off, but it still made it hard to think so she took actions by pressing her palm against his mouth, 'Don't use it _ever_. It's my mamochka's word. It's meant as a nickname for a child, _kitten. W_ hen you say it, it sounds all wrong and dirty and ruins my childhood so please _don't_.'

He watched her for a moment amusement clear in his eyes before he took her hand and put it away, 'Alright, I will refer to you as Vanya but only because _katyonak_ ,' she groaned, 'last time I promise,' he laughed, 'Is something your mamochka uses, and I feel a deep respect for her.'

Vanya sighed and nodded, 'Whatever makes you stop.'

Five let go of her hand and she finally returned to the couch feeling a bit dizzy on her feet.

They called it a night and Five went to take her home. Vanya felt a bit surreal about the whole ride in the elevator and most of the car ride. It was like something shifted and the script they followed and knew by heart now didn't apply to the scene. She hoped what happened didn't damage their relationship and the way they interacted with one another because she couldn't imagine going back to not talking like they used to. It shouldn't. Nothing happened nothing was said. She would miss it greatly as it was the only means of being involved with someone other than her mamochka outside of the office. She should probably take Allison up on the offer and go for a coffee soon not to spoil her celibate of not becoming friends with colleagues, but it made Five even more special in her life which was bad.

'Your mamochka sounds adorable by the way,' said Five finally, and Vanya let out a small relieved sigh that at least they were talking.

She also smiled at the compliment, 'The accent helps.'

'She's like a fairy tale godmother,' he said smiling to himself as well which warmed her heart, 'That's the second time you mentioned fairy tales today. You're a fan?'

'The nannies used to read them to me when I was younger. Since there was no television allowed in the house, you can imagine how excited I was about them. Father didn't approve of any distraction by the technologies, media, or entertainment in such a young age,' he said in a lighter tone than Vanya would expect from such words.

'I understand,' she replied, 'Growing up we didn't have TV only a radio. I used to listen to those kid-friendly mystery shows staying up late and wondering how to solve them.'

'You do strike me as a person who would enjoy solving puzzles,' he said, and she bit her lip not to confessed to the boxes she had under the bed of puzzles she spent weekends solving them.

She looked at him, 'So do you.'

He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes but didn't deny it or confirm which was enough to tell her.

'You're lucky you have a good relationship with your mamochka. She really cares about you and it's clear you care about her too,' Five said and Vanya's smile faded a bit as she thought about his sour relationship with his father before she asked, 'What about your mother?'

He was quiet for a moment just looking at the roar, and Vanya shook her head recognizing her mistake, 'Five, I'm sorry. It's not my place.'

'It's alright. I constantly bug you about your mom. It's only fair you do the same,' he said lightly but the smile was gone, and back was the serious expression which was so typical for him but now made her feel like he pushed her away and put his walls back on. Whenever he smirked at her, his face softened, he told her something about himself or told her what he really thought it was like he showed her who he really was and vice versa when she put away her polite face and talked back to him, held her ground, called him out on his bullshit or told him something about her private life, it was like she showed him the real her. So when they went back to their masks it hurt a bit and made her sad. If it was in front of others, she understood it. They needed to say professional but as ridiculous as it sounded with each other she wanted them to be themselves.

'I've never met her. She left when I was very young. You should know my father was married three times so,' Five said and shrugged his shoulders.

No, Vanya did not know that. She honestly didn't know anything about Five's mom and what really went on in his childhood home when he was growing up but given how down or upset or distant he looked when he talked about it, and what she now knew about Reginald Hargreeves, she knew it wasn't anything good.

'I'm sorry,' she said before she realized she promised him not to say it all the time, 'I mean, I'm showing my compassion.'

He rolled his eyes, 'Don't use that. That's weird, Vanya.'

She shrugged her shoulders, 'You wanted me to lower the usage of the s-word.'

'I want you not to be a pushover, not a weirdo,' Five chuckled, 'It's nothing. I learned a very long time ago people can't change the past. But we can make up for it with a better future. Whoever my parents are doesn't matter. But I can make sure to be my own person and better than them,' he said his voice a bit more confident again and Vanya smiled, 'You already are.'

He smiled a bit as well and she took it as a win not returning back to the gloomy things and keeping the conversation light. Maybe someday they can have a different conversation about everything which happened. She was already starting to realize that even if she wanted to or not they were becoming somewhat of friends. Sure, _friends_ who flirted, always ended up in questionable situations pressing against, desks, doors, fixing noses, walking in on one another only wearing a bra, looked at one another the way he looked at her the sometimes and said things which made her want to kiss him just to put his mouth into a better use. You know, your average good friends.

'Oh, you should know, just because I won't use the word your mamochka does,' he started just as she was about to leave the car when he parked by her building, and she chuckled, 'You already forget it, didn't you?'

He shot her a look before he smirked making her stomach flip feeling like he was the hunter planning to his next move to get her, 'It doesn't mean I won't spend the whole night searching for the perfect Russian nickname for you.'

She froze.

'Don't you dare!'

He winked at her making it impossible to breathe when looking at him so she quickly shut the door and rushed up to the entrance telling herself she would not look back only to turn around and wave at him only at the last moment to do so anyway.

It was a sleepless night in many ways for Vanya as she stayed up for hours afterward moaning against the pillow touching herself and thinking of her boss kneeling under her wondering how on earth was she supposed to stay professional with him now.

* * *

In the morning she got a text from him to be ready in half an hour and then found him waiting for her in the car on the way to work.

Vanya got inside hoping her face didn't reveal any of her traitorous thoughts or how she used them last night.

'It's winter. The mornings are dark,' he told her when she gave him a questionable look.

When she went to put on the seatbelt, he said lowering his voice making her want to jump out of the car and email her resignation or ask him to come to her apartment right then and there.

_'Zayka.'_

_Bunny_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Thank you for the support you showed this and my other stories. :) I am always happy you like my work. If you like you can leave some feedback. Have a nice day.


	4. Chapter 4

_Five: It's an emergency_

That was it. It was all it took for her to throw away her blanket put a dogear on her book and get dressed on a perfectly grim Sunday which _begged_ itself not to be spent not doing anything productive. But because she was a workaholic and the book wasn't as appealing as she hoped it would be she was putting on her sneakers and grabbing her laptop (complimentary of the company and her boss no doubt) and rushed outside only to get another text from her boss saying Hazel would come to pick her up in a few.

She wanted to take the sub, but if Five needed her to work overtime on a Sunday the least he could do was get her to the office and home for free.

It had been a few tense weeks. She wasn't sure what was wrong, but even Five was acting more professional and less familiar with her. She shouldn't complain, but it was a bit unfair. He spoiled her by making her feel like his friend and then shot down by acting all CEO and reserve toward her. Something was obviously bothering him, but whenever she asked he brushed it aside focusing on work. He didn't tease her for a week now, and as pathetic as it was to admit it was one of the little rushes she had in life, it was and she missed it. She missed talking back to him and sticking out a bit. She missed his smirk and just the way things used to be. She feared something happened. Maybe someone saw or heard them and told him it was very inappropriate he acted like that. Maybe she said something and he assumed he offended her or hurt her feelings. Anything could have happened and Vanya was not happy about it.

Hazel came faster than she would have expected probably already on his way. For the first time, she went to the back of the fancy black car as Five already sent her some of the things he wanted them to cover today. She was puzzled but started to work on the back seat. It took her about fifteen minutes when she looked up thinking about something that she noticed they were in a completely different part of the city.

'Didn't you miss a turn?' she asked suddenly. Hazel was a very good driver. Better than Five she had to admit. He drove in a very calm and safe way and if Vanya didn't enjoy her chats with Five when he drove her, she would even prefer Hazel to drive her. Sometimes he took a different road home if he thought there would be traffic. He was used to the transport situation in the city. But Vanya could clearly see he was heading a different direction now.

'This will be shorter,' he said confusing her even more, 'So you've been there before?'

She assumed he was joking so she chuckled and raised her brow, 'In the company, yeah, a few times.'

'No, Mr. Hargreeves's house,' he said knocking everything out of Vanya's head as she tried to comprehend what he just said.

_Mr. Hargreeve's house, Five's house, her boss's house._

She suddenly felt her stomach shrink as she looked down at her laptop instead. It was Sunday, so he wasn't at work because not even he was crazy enough to be in the office on Sunday. But he called her to work today, and since he wasn't in the office she would work…in his house.

This wouldn't be good. She just learned to overcome her insecurities about dining with him in five stars restaurants and now he wanted her to see his gorgeously rich castle of a house. She was sure it was the size of a castle with a tennis court, pool, and stables.

_Shit._

She was right. It looked like a castle. They entered through an electronic gate with a security man in the front. Who can offer another security guy in their house? She felt like she was going to the White House. If Hazel told her they needed to check her bag and pockets she wouldn't even be surprised. Hazel still had to pass the tennis court and fountain in front of the house.

He parked and told her he would head to the garages which she couldn't even see because of how enormous the house was.

She walked out of the car and eyed the _mansion_ because no way that was a house. It was like a monster ready to swallow her which it might as well be. She was sure she could get killed there and no one would ever find her body in so many rooms and the basement. Maybe Five even was the creepy rich guy with a torture chamber inside.

She pulled a grim smile at the thought.

Good thing she finished Haunting of the hill house yesterday so now she had all those ghost stories and creepy things in her running inside her mind scaring her.

She walked to the door and was surprised a dark-haired middle-aged woman opened and shot her a look before she snapped, 'I quit, and you would do better if you did too. That man is a nightmare.'

Vanya was left standing there completely paralyzed as the woman rushed around her down the stairs and to the direction of the front gate.

She looked back at the open door.

_What the hell?_

She still rang the bell waiting because what was she supposed to do just walked inside? No one seemed to be interested in her rang however, at least not until she saw Five sprinting down the massive staircase opposite from her talking on the phone.

He paused for a second catching her in the doorway and waved at her to walk as he came closer. Seeing him should have made her feel better, but in a moment like this, it didn't.

She stepped inside immediately feeling like she entered a Scrooge McDuck's house. Everything was in white and gold color and Vanya felt like she was so underdressed in her jeans and sweater, she tugged her coat closer to her body. This should a home. A place you felt the most comfortable walking around in your underwear and socks and not evening gowns and tuxes. Five was wearing his suit pants and shirt which only added to her anxiety. This was just like the formal restaurants he took her to for lunch. This was not her style at all.

'Yes, I know, but I told you specifically what the job required and yet you keep on sending me people who had no way of handle it,' was what Vanya caught when he came close.

He sighed and said trying his voice to sound more in control than it was. Everything about him screamed upset and distressed, and Vanya didn't feel any better just by looking at him and being in the place.

She closed the gigantic front door feeling the sound was a final nail in her coffin of really being in a place like that.

Five called whoever was on the other end of the phone call to hold.

'Second floor, third door on the left, you will have Study B written on it, you can go there and continue to work. I will come in a few,' he told her without a greeting which she tried not to feel offended for. He was busy. Clearly, today wasn't a good day, and it was nothing personal.

'Okay,' was all she said and headed up the large staircase not even sure he heard her as she could still hear him even on the second floor shouting at the person on the other hand.

On the way through the hallway she noticed a large oil painting of a boy with dark hair and green eyes and for the first time since she came she felt herself smile.

Even as a kid, Five looked serious.

Her smile fell as she realized just how restraint his childhood must have been to force him to be like that even as a kid. He was still cute though.

Vanya went into the study which was opened and then to the corner couch. The office was a bit different than Five's one in the company, but due to the exact same way he had the furniture and his laptop was on the desk she knew it was his.

It helped her feel a bit more familiar and not so out of her league. She pulled everything she needed from her bag and continued to work for another twenty minutes when Five came in looking seriously annoyed and tired. Not a good Sunday for him.

He brushed his face a bit looking like he just had a shouting match or a fight which he might as well have for all Vanya knew.

He looked at her, 'Would you like something to drink? I'm sorry, I forgot to offer.'

She shook her head quickly not in the mood to ask _anything_ from him even if she was a bit thirsty.

He nodded and walked to the cupboard where he picked up a glass and them some fancy scotch before he poured one for himself and drank it instantly.

She bit her lip wanting so desperately to ask what happened but still feeling she was shot down too many times. If he again changed the subject or straight out told her it was not her business she wouldn't survive it so instead, she straight out told him what she managed to do so far.

She had a feeling he was half listening to her before he told her what else they should cover.

They worked now for another hour before he checked the watch and looked at her, 'Give me a few minutes.'

She nodded but he was out of the room so he probably didn't even care she did.

Vanya crossed her arms for a moment just sitting there and not knowing what to do. It felt so weird not to be able to talk to him like before, but it shouldn't. They weren't _real_ friends. They were boss and employee. Even if he was nicer to her even friendly they were not friends, so she couldn't just get upset when he didn't have time for her and acted toward her the way he would to any other employee. Maybe this was good. Maybe this was the best thing to happen because she needed a wakeup call to realize their relationship was purely professional. Just because she was attracted to him and crushing on him didn't mean he was obligated to treat her differently than the rest. She should be glad he was decent to her and would definitely pay her overtime and work on the weekend because he was a good boss.

When she heard the footsteps return, Vanya convinced herself, she would do just that. She would act professionally and everything. She would still call him Five in private because that was what he asked of her but she wouldn't take personal calls in his presence, show him places she liked to order food from, tell her about her mamochka and anything personal. Nothing. Done. This crush was going long enough too, and she needed to get a hold of herself and move on just like always.

'There you are,' said a man's voice which by no means belonged to Five.

Vanya jumped a bit in her seat as she looked over to find an elderly man standing in the opened door to the study and not Five. He could have been in his seventy's or eighty's wearing a long robe over what she assumed were pajamas.

'Uh? Hello,' she managed to let out wondering who was the man when she noticed how he was looking at her. Upset, angry, almost furious.

She felt goosebumps covered her skin all over the back of her neck as the man slowly walked inside.

'What do you think you're doing? Do you think you will get anything from me?' he asked walking closer to her his voice filled with venom.

Vanya stood up sensing something was about the happen, and she did not want to be even smaller than she already was compared to the old man. He was very tall and a bit scary. Maybe she was right about angry ghosts.

Standing up didn't bring her as much relief as she hoped for. The man was a giant or maybe she was just so tiny. Come to think of it the man was almost as tall as Five.

She tried to step back but the old man's slow walk suddenly shifted to a sprint, and he grabbed her elbow, 'Do you think you can weasel your way here and rob me? Do you think that, you slut?'

Her eyes widened in fear as she tried to break free from his hold confused and panicked, 'What are you talking about?'

'Don't lie to me. Don't lie to me. You're nothing. You are nothing without me. I'm the man in this house. I am everything in this house!' he continued his ramble, and Vanya realized he couldn't be in his right mind.

'Let me go, please,' she said trying to ease his grip which was now becoming painful once he got a hold of her wrist too.

'Don't lie to me, Martha!'

'Father, get off her!' she heard and suddenly she was free as Five appeared and pulled the old man against the wall holding him in place, 'It's not Martha. Martha isn't working here anymore.'

Vanya took a step back even if she knew there was no danger from who she now realized was Reginald Hargreeves. She was shocked or better yet in shock. Partly because the man attacked her, but partly that he was alive. Whenever Five spoke about him it was mainly in the past tense, and on the few occasions she caught him talking in the present she assumed it was a figure of speech or slip of the tongue. She only knew of Reginald Hargreeves's departure from the company and the world of business not his death though.

She watched as the old man blinked several times being still held back by his stronger and younger son. Now she could truly see just how confused the old man was before suddenly his expression changed into a look all too familiar to Vanya. It was the cold and distant look Five sometimes had around if he was in full work mode or around the others.

Reginald nodded, 'Of course. Of course, I know this isn't Martha, foolish boy.'

He slid Five's hands off him and the younger man hesitantly allowed it still eyeing him carefully as he turned toward Vanya.

'This is Ms. Vanya Babkin, the new CFO of the Umbrella Corporation. Top of her class every year at the university, winner of several scholarships including your grandmothers, Genevieve Hargreeves, about ten years ago?' he asked and Vanya could only nod because it was spot on. It was also completely opposite to the violent display he showed her just a few minutes ago.

The old man raised his hand, 'Reginald Hargreeves, I expect great things from you, MsBabkin.'

She swallowed a bit as she reached her unhurt hand and shook his before a young blonde woman walked him. The old man turned around, 'Ah Grace, my dear, I thought you were on vacation.'

The woman gave him a polite smile, 'I came back early. Shall we go to the library and finish our chess game?'

'Excellent, son, Ms. Babkin. I will leave you to continue in the good work on my company,' he said and nodded at Vanya one more time before he left with the woman.

Five immediately appeared in front of her taking a hold of her elbows to raise her hands and examine her wrist, 'Jesus.'

Her skin which was always easy to bruise already started to show the angry red marks of Hargreeves's fingertips.

'It's fine, you should go see if he's alright?' she said. It wasn't meant to be a question, but it fell out as one as she was still a bit shocked which was clear from how her hands shook when Five examined them. He held them firmly, but making sure he was gentle. His fingers weren't as warm as the rest of him from those times Vanya found herself too close to him, so it was nice to keep them pressed against her wounded wrist.

'Grace can take care of him better than anyone,' he said after a while of critical observation his face a mixture of worry and anger, the struggle inside him clear. When he let her go, he turned around walking to his liquid cabin again and the second one which turned out to be a mini-fridge. He grabbed the small tablecloth from under some glasses and put a few pieces of ice into it before he came back pressing it against her hurt skin.

'Uf,' she let out, but quickly added, 'Cold.'

She could see Five nodding but not relaxing. In fact, he appeared as straight as a violin string looking at her more worried than she ever saw him.

She bit her lip before she tried to ease his worry. She thought the cold distance behavior was bad, but seeing him so worried did something unpleasant to her chest she wanted to fix asap, 'It's alright-'

'It's not, he could have hurt you, he…,' Five closed his eyes and Vanya wanted to reach out and touch his cheek seeing just how vulnerable he looked at that moment.

When he opened them he was still holding Vanya's elbow and pressing the cloth with ice over her wounded wrist. She placed her free hand above his, 'He has dementia?'

Five nodded, 'It started shortly before I took over the company. I wanted to lead it one day, but his worsening condition pushed me a bit to speed it up. He had gotten worse since. Some days or times of days are better than others,' he paused for a moment before he said, 'Sometimes he can't tell what year it is. He thinks I'm someone else, or Grace or others. And other times he's back to himself. He goes over my things talks to me about the company's future, investments, and business. '

'It must be scary. The mood swings. Seeing him go from the man you know, who is so in control to someone you don't recognize,' she mumbled and Five nodded, 'Most of the staff quit when it got worse. Before he was a dictator afterward he became a paranoid senile old man. They were scared,' he paused for a moment, 'I shouldn't have asked you to come. I'm sorry, it's a Sunday and nothing is as important as making sure you're safe and now-'

She squeezed his hand a bit, 'Please, don't kick yourself for it. It was an accident. He wasn't in his right mind.'

Five didn't say anything but continued to hold her elbow and press the ice against her wrist. They were left just standing there for a few moments looking at one another before Vanya broke the silence.

'There was a woman leaving the house when I came. She said she quits.'

Five sighed a bit annoyed now, 'Father has Grace as his full-time nurse. She's the best one so far. She's with him for about three years now. She's good, and she humors him not treating him like a patient or sick old man who needs help. He actually likes her around. She was supposed to have the two weeks off, but father was impossible to handle. The woman was from the agency. She was the third one.'

Vanya nodded. All that happened now falling to pieces. This was why he was so stressed the past few weeks. It had nothing to do with her although she wished he confided in her sooner. She didn't care if there were some things he needed to deal on his own. She had those too, but she wished. Shit, she was too deep, wasn't she? She cared for him too much, and even with the still-present pain from her wrist, all she wanted to do was the comfort Five. That was how much she cared for him.

She took the ice and threw it on the couch before she spontaneously stood on her toes and put her arms around his neck pulling him into an awkward hug. Why did he have to be so damn tall?

'I'm sorry, and I'm not taking it back.' She said referring to promising not to apologize all the time.

He stood still for quite some time without movement, and Vanya wondered if the physical touch was giving him any comfort at all before his arms finally ended up on her back and in her hair pulling her closer making her let out a sigh of relief that she didn't make a total fool of herself. She also felt this warm like she was a child tugged into bed by her mamochka after a long and exciting day feeling nice and safe and ready to sleep being held by Five like that. He held her so nicely.

'It's fine.'

'It's not, but that's alright,' she said and closed her eyes enjoying the sensation and wondering if he did the same as she could now feel how exhausted his body was almost ready to lean against hers but still making sure he wouldn't crush her.

She wondered if he ever let anyone hold him. If he ever just laid down with someone and let them put their arms around him and keep him warm and comforted. She wondered if he would ever let her hold him like that.

'Zayka,' he said and Vanya found herself smiling knowing there was no sexual undertone when he said it this time, 'What's this for?'

She bit her lip before she said, 'Hugs are what friends do for comfort, Five.'

There was a pause on his side and she felt his fingers move into her hair as he started to circle some of it around them, 'So we're friends?'

She sighed and nodded as if to prove herself it was true, 'Yes.'

She almost said _just friends_ but couldn't bring herself to do so since she had feelings for him. Feelings which were only increasing in their dosage as he was holding her so firmly and protectively yet softly playing with her hair. Vanya didn't have many friends in her life, but she was sure this was not how they hugged. She was sure people didn't feel like they could close their eyes and fall asleep on another person when they were hugging knowing all would be well breathing in heir scent and feeling just _good_ and _happy_. But that was what she felt.

'I like that,' he said, and she could hear the smile in his words. So she let herself enjoy it for a bit longer not even disappointed or sad that he meant it. She could be his friend. They could be friends. She didn't even care as long as they could hold each other like that and just be _close_.

They remained like that for a little longer before Five let her go, 'I'm sorry about what he did. It was just that Grace wasn't here, but he tends to be out of control at times even when she's around. Please don't take it personally and…I'm sorry,' he told her his eyes pleading and worried. His hands ended up on her shoulders rubbing them a bit and looking into her eyes.

She shook her head and smiled a bit, 'It's alright. He scared me more than anything,' she said honestly she kept forgetting about the red marks on her wrist and the little pain, but the way he looked so in rage at her was terrifying. No one was ever that angry at her. Maybe Jenkins but they never confronted her about it.

'He thought I was someone else, Martha?'

Five nodded, 'She was one of the maids here before I was born. He sometimes talks about her. I think she was his mistress. She stole from him and ran away or something. The story always changes. I don't think he remembers it correctly either, and knowing what a paranoid bastard he could be maybe it wasn't like that at all.'

Vanya nodded and Five looked at her wrist again slowly moving his hold and running his thumb over the red skin. She would be lying if she didn't admit even to herself that it was _nice_ and made her feel _funny_ , 'It's not swelling.'

'It's nothing,' she said and then pulled her sleeve higher revealing a long scar on her forearm.

Five frowned and run index finger over the nasty thing 'How did that happen?'

'One time, I was late for school. And I needed to get on the second bus stop or I would wait another hour for the next one. I _tried_ ,' she smiled at the memory of herself, 'to hop a nearby fence to get there faster but my backpack got caught up and dragged me down with its weight. Carrying War and Peace around wasn't the smarter idea for a thirteen-year-old. I tried to catch something as I was going down and one of the wires caught my sleeve and skin.'

'What was a thirteen-year-old doing with War and Peace?' he asked and Vanya shrugged, 'My mamochka didn't know much about English writers and struggled with reading classical literature in English so we went to Little Odessa bought books in Russian. They were cheaper, and something we could read together,' explained Vanya not even stopping to feel embarrassed which Five gave her no reason to as he was smirking through the whole speech, 'So not just classical pieces, but classical pieces in Russian language? You're something else, you know that?'

She shrugged her shoulders trying not to blush feeling as he meant it that she wasn't _amazing_ which didn't help her resolution to feel only platonic things toward him from now on.

She stepped from one foot to another, 'Yeah, well anyway, it was the only absence in otherwise perfect attendance.'

Five chuckled, 'Whoa, so you were a workaholic even before you started working for me.'

She rolled her eyes, 'Please, I came here on a Sunday, there is no way _you_ could have inspired such loyalty and hard work.'

'Ah right in my calculative CEO heart,' he said and touched his chest in a mocking manner which was when Vanya noticed he was missing a button.

She pointed at it and told him already looking around the floor.

'It's nothing,' he said, 'I will buy a new one.'

She let out an annoyed sigh before her eyes found the little white thing and she started to roam inside her bag.

'What are you looking for?'

She brought up a small case and opened it to reveal a needle and a thread shocking Five no doubt as his smirk fell and he looked surprised, 'You carry _that_ around?'

'Why wouldn't I carry it around? You never know what kind of emergency might happen,' she said and took the button already set her mind on sewing it back.

'This is coming from a woman who was caught in just her bra in the men's bathroom,' he said but started to unbutton the rest of the shirt so she would have easy access to it without second-guessing her sanity or appropriateness.

Vanya looked up at him as she started and frowned seeing his almost daydreamy smile, 'What?'

'Nothing, I'm just enjoying the fact you're such a housewife,' he said, and she should be offended, but honestly couldn't.

She chuckled, but pushed her smile down and said, 'Well, not all of us were born with twenty maids to tend to their every need.'

'Can you also cook? And can you knit me a sweater?' he asked and Vanya shot him a look, 'You do realize I'm holding a needle to your naked chest right?' And boy, what a chest that was. She had to mentally stop herself from just reaching out and feeling his skin against her hands. There was no way, she would be able to explain it if she did that, but a part of her wouldn't care. Just if she got a good feel of him she could leave his house happy imprinting the feeling into her memory forever.

'You're adorable, zayka,' he told her tried to bite back her grin, she really did, but given how close he was and how softly he said it, it was impossible not to especially since she felt so happy she knew what was bothering him. It felt like a huge weight was picked from her shoulders. She cared for him. Even if they wouldn't be anything else but friends, she cared for him and wanted him to be alright.

'Hey.'

He looked at her, and she at him without passing her sewing because she needed something to focus on, 'I meant it. I…I'm really going against a lot of my personal rules with you.'

He blinked at her his smile fading a bit as he understood the seriousness of what she was saying, 'But I don't regret it. So I mean it that I want us to be friends. It's nice. Growing up I pushed everyone away because I was afraid they wouldn't understand I was poor and make fun of me. I never held it against my mamochka, but I didn't want others to do so, so I pushed everyone away. I never invited anyone over, I tried to never speak about the things we did like collecting food stamps, or wearing charity clothes, counting every money, not eating dinner for a few days a month just so we had enough to pay the bills on time, not having electricity for two weeks before Christmas, just stuff like that. Stuff people wouldn't understand. And you're like the exact opposite growing up in wealth and never worrying about that, but,' she stopped and looked him deep into the eyes, 'When I talk about it with you, I don't feel ashamed or worried you would hold it against me. I feel good, I feel close to you, and I think you feel close to me, so what I'm trying to say is I like us to be close, to be friends.'

Five was quiet for a moment before he nodded.

'I like too,' he said and Vanya pushed down any gleeful feeling in her stomach reminding her she wasn't a teenager anymore and he didn't mean it like that.

'I want to be close to you too. Friends,' he said but made it sound strange. Like a secret, like he was saying another word completely, 'You… you're different not just from the people in my circle, but everyone I ever met you…you make me feel like me. Not just what father made me but my own person. Maybe it helps we got the naked thing out of there right from the start.'

She chuckled and rolled her eyes, 'I had a bra.'

'And it was a fine one at that,' he said and Vanya wrinkled her nose, 'No, it was my ugly grandma bra.'

'Trust me, there was _nothing_ ugly in anything what I saw in that restroom,' he told her looking deep into her eyes, and she had to look away knowing her blush was hitting an all-time high. How could he agree to them being friends and then flirt with her so shamelessly?

She finished with the shewing and leaned down to his chest biting the thread off. It was a habit. Most people would just cut it or pull it with their fingers.

When she looked at him to tell him _all done_ she caught the almost haunting look in his eyes as he was looking down at her. That look was definitely not _friendly_ , and it instantly got her to feel a pool of lust form in her lower belly.

'We should finish that work,' she said quickly looking away, the gaze just too intimate for her to handle right now.

Five shook his head, 'I think that was enough for one evening. We can do it tomorrow. I just got caught up with everything with my father and went into overdrive. It might sound weird but working helps. It calms me,' he said and Vanya nodded before he continued looking at her a bit softer now, 'It also helps that you work with me. You're very methodic and pragmatic. It helps me think and work too.'

Vanya smiled at the compliment knowing it meant a lot when for him that she could help him take his mind off his problems which helped her feel better about herself as well.

'I will let Hazel take you home,' he said all the sudden.

Her mood dropped a bit as she realized she would leave. She understood that he was probably still embarrassed about what his father did, and it was a family issue, and they might have been friends, but they were definitely not family.

'Okay.'

He must have noticed because he looked closely at her, 'Are you sure you're alright?'

'Absolutely, don't kick yourself or your father about it. It just happened. It's the illness,' she said and took his hand one more time before she put on her coat and took her bag.

One their way out of the study she paused and by his portrait and grinned when he rolled his eyes, 'Father forced me to do it.'

'You look cute, Five. Baby fat and all that,' she joked and they continued to walk down the stairs, 'Will I get to see your picture as a kid?'

'What you assume I don't have oil paintings of me lying around?' she asked and nearly missed her step, but Five automatically caught her pulling her back and steadying her, 'Careful.'

She gave him a small smile before she continued her path down the stairs, 'You already saw a picture of me with mamochka.'

'I want a picture when you were a kid,' he said and she blinked confused, 'Why?'

His smirk was so secretive and trouble she had to look away and drop the subject. She had a feeling she wouldn't be able to stay calm if he told her.

'I will pick you up tomorrow,' Five said as he walked her out of the front door to where Hazel was already waiting with a car for her.

She smiled at him and nodded before she felt him pulled her at her sleeve back to him. She let him and found herself in his arms as he hugged her closer burring his face against her scarf.

Her hands instantly reached for her waists and back holding him close and savoring the moment longer. He hugged so nicely. Vanya only ever properly hugged her mamochka and a few occasional boyfriends she dated for a short period of time. But there was something so intimate and soul-crushing about being in Five's arms, she found herself addicted to his warmth and never wanting to leave. He felt safe, solid and mainly. And it was probably her lack of any boyfriend, but she really _really_ felt secured and like a woman when he held her like that.

He let her go hesitating like he also didn't fully want to and kept his hand on her arm as she started to walk backwards down the stairs. His hand moved through her elbow, wrist and finally palm until they separated through the tips of their fingers the warmth of his body against hers only once they stopped touching fully gone.

Vanya forced herself to rush to the car to minimize the pain from the separation feeling more confused than ever as she turned around and found Five still on the top of the stairs looking at her.

She waved at him like always and disappeared inside trying to calm her wildly beating heart and telling herself it was just the aftermath of what happened.

What else could it have been?

* * *

'Are you sure you're not in love with him?' her mamochka asked her this the evening before their Christmas party as Vanya had her on speaker because she decided last minute to make syrnyky, roasted pancakes made from cheese the morning before their Christmas party.

Vanya had a habit that even if she cooked or bake something a million times before she always needed to call her mamochka to make sure she was following the correct recipe or to brag about doing it in the first place.

She almost threw the frying pan on the ground when she heard her mamochka ask that.

'NO!' she said after she balanced it back on the oven, 'It's just a gesture. He was nice to me and had been going through a hard time at home. I just wanted to do something nice for him.'

It was true…sort of. He did get her a promotion only a few months after she started in the company, took her to fancy lunches, gave her rides to and from work, and acted nice to her not to mention became her sort of her first friend. (She turned down the voice which said she was also sort of friends with Allison and Ben.) So she did owe him a lot. He was also going through a rough time at home due to his father's illness although he did admit that now that Grace, his father's full-time nurse returned, the older Hargreeves was behaving. Whatever that meant, but she had to also admit, he looked better, more concentrated in work, and back to his teasing flirting self when it came to her.

Alright, maybe she didn't have a good excuse why she was making him syrnyky at 6. A.M but they were friends so she didn't need one. She just needed one not to worry mamochka or give her filled with soup operas head any ideas that shouldn't be there because it was bad enough that Vanya sometimes entertained herself with those ideas, she didn't need another person for the ride of madness, delusions, and sleepless nights fantasizing about Five's chest and the way he said _zayka_.

'You never gave anything to Mr. Jones, katyonak,' reminded her mamochka and Vanya sighed, 'Mr. Jones wasn't a nice man. And why are you questioning me? I'm just being nice. You told me to always be nice,' she said put the last of the syrnyk on the plate to cool down before she would put them in her lunch box.

'I don't want you not to be nice, and I know Mr. Hargreeves is good to you, Vanya. But I don't want to see you hurt,' said the woman and Vanya sighed, 'Mamochka, I said once he was _handsome_ , once. It doesn't mean anything. I think Jake Gyllenhaal and Cillian Murphy are attractive too.'

She heard her mamochka laugh, and Vanya smiled cleaning up the counter a bit.

'That is a fair point, katyonak,' said her mamochka before she paused and Vanya finished with the kitchen, 'I just want you to be happy.'

'I am happy,' said Vanya automatically. She wasn't sure she was happy or unhappy. She didn't think people could be one or another permanently. There were times of days she was happy and times of days she wasn't happy, and that was life.

'Vanya, be honest with me. Do you sometimes think about Mr. Hargreeves? As a man? As someone you could be happy with?' asked her mamochka and Vanya sometimes wished she was better at hiding things from her. It wasn't that she didn't trust her to tell her the truth, but more like she didn't know the truth. Was she crushing on Five? Yes. Was she attracted to him? Also yes. Did she consider him a friend? Very yes. Did she want to spend time with him? YES? She liked him? Yes. Did she love him?

'We're friends, mamochka. Good friend. I like to talk to him and spent time with him. I feel close to him even if we come from different worlds. I think we can be very good friends. I know he's handsome, and nice and… attractive,' she blushed humiliated she told her mamochka that one before she put herself together, 'But I also know he's my boss, and was raised differently, and doesn't see me as anything but a good employee and friend.'

She nodded almost convincing herself with what she said before mamochka pointed out, 'But you didn't answer. Do you consider him someone you could be happy with?'

Vanya closed the lunch case and took the phone to her ear, 'He's just my boss and maybe friend, mamochka.'

There was silence on the other end before the woman said, 'If you said yes, I would say you should see if you could be someone he could be happy with. If the answer would also be yes, maybe it wouldn't be bad to see if you could be more than friends, katyonak.'

Vanya smiled despite herself and told her mamochka she would come in two days to visit. The smile was a bit bittersweet because Vanya knew even if by some _chance_ and delusion, she would think Five could make her happy like that, she would never make him. She wasn't his type and was definitely out of his league. He would end up with a model or some rich entrepreneur, or his childhood friend from the same circles as him.

And yet it took her an hour to pick up the perfect clothes to wear and shoes. They were having a pre-Christmas party today in the after-hours since Five gave everyone a day off on 24th, but Allison told her most of the day would be people walking around talking and slacking off.

'Since he started to give the day off people just don't do anything productive on the 23rd,' said her coworker during lunch because Five had other arrangements. She tried not to feel guilty that she spent so much time with him, but she did notice it as well even before Ben joked about it.

Vanya only blushed when he did and stole a glance at Allison who looked perfectly innocent. Apparently, she didn't spread the fact that she and Five spent a _lot_ of time together even with the people she trusted, and Vanya was grateful for that.

But anyway, she knew Five and her spent a lot of time together. He drove her to and from work, had work meetings with her, work lunches, he texted her a bunch of times and called her. Of course, it was always about work until it wasn't, and their talks changed to teasing and personal things and just the talks which made Vanya smile throughout the whole day just by sharing them with him.

Vanya knew their talks and meetings were in good nature and platonic and nothing to get her heartbeat speed up, but then Five would grab her wrist on the street in the middle of some man on the corner playing the saxophone and spun her around on their walk from lunch, and it would be really hard to convince herself it was all platonic.

She lost her balance and almost broke a heel of her shoe before he steadied her still keeping one hand on her waist and the other on her wrist which didn't help her feel less dizzy, 'Don't do that.'

He just grinned, 'What no one spun you like that since prom night?'

She rolled her eyes and tried to get out of his hold in case they would run into someone they knew, 'I didn't go to the prom. It was too much money for one night.' She left out the part that no one asked her.

Five let go of her once he knew she was secured, 'I didn't either. Most of the girls in my school were annoying and boring. Also, the father didn't approve any distractions of that.'

Vanya nodded and smiled a bit. Somehow even if she thought she was admitting to something humiliating Five could turn it around by talking about his own life making her feel a bit better.

'To be fair, I don't think we missed out on a lot,' she said and grimaced, 'According to my mamochka, I'm not the best dancer.'

Five looked over at her with a hint of a smile, 'But you still have to have one with me at the Christmas party next week.'

She chuckled, 'Right.'

'I'm serious.'

Vanya bit her lip for a second because it was a tempting offer before she shot it down and looked at him, 'You know I don't want people to assume there is something between us, right?'

Even though she was a bit more open about people seeing them, she still would not get labeled the office slut if she could avoid it. So far no one still seemed to keen on approaching her about it, but with what Allison told her, she was a bit paranoid that people talked behind her back.

'Ah yes, but you see, I already have a plan,' he told her as he led her to the car. She got used to him taking her out on lunch even if she tried to lower Five's choices to more price reasonable. She didn't want him to pay for her which he usually dealt with by not telling her he was paying. He was a very sneaky man when he wanted to be.

'I feel like I should be more worried now,' she replied and earned a look of fake annoyance before he said, 'I will dance with three other employees.'

Vanya chuckled shaking her head imagining Five actually asking some other employee to dance. The woman would probably not believe it. Their boss was called Mr. Robot and for a reason.

'No way, I don't believe you.'

'I plan to suffer through three dances before I dance with you, and your disbelief and mockery is all I get?' he asked almost dramatically, and she couldn't help but giggle. She liked when he said things like that. He had a mean sarcastic streak sometimes.

'You should feel more privileged that I want to dance with you, zayka,' he added, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes smiling at his cockiness and nickname. She was starting to sort of like it and often end up surprised when he called her Ms. Babkin around the others. But she still liked the most when he said her real name. It was a crush thing. She was sure of it.

'Exactly, _you_ want to dance with me, I would be perfectly fine sitting it out,' she said and then laugh some more as he ignored her and rather told her who would be the _lucky_ ladies and why. It didn't escape Vanya's notice he chose their elderly employees, but didn't point it out, just laughed a bit more.

So even if she told herself it was all platonic and her feelings weren't anything to compromise her work or friendship with Five, she spent an hour picking up what to wear because she knew she would be dancing with him feeling her face heat up every time she thought about it.

She tried to once again to get her face into a neutral shade, take the lunch box and envelope with a picture of her when she was a kid before she got out of the apartment only to be shocked to find Hazel in the car outside.

Dread crept into her heart as she got into the car wondering if she should as or not before the man said on his own, 'Mr. Hargreeves had an early flight out of the city. Figures, even if he always throws the Christmas party he never stays around.'

Vanya nodded not saying anything just putting the lunch box and envelop on her knees wondering why he didn't call her or text the way he always did when Hazel was supposed to come and not him.

She kept on looking down at the present every so often before she asked Hazel if he knew when Five would be back and if he would go pick him up. When he confirmed it, she gave it to him trying not to be self-conscious of his curious look and told him to give it to Five.

* * *

The rest of the day was pretty boring in Vanya's mind as she kept on wondering what was so urgent Five didn't text her, but every time she did, she chased the thought away reminding herself she was his employee and friend, _not_ a girlfriend.

After a couple of hours, she managed to focus again on work even if it was harder with people being in holiday mode and then spent a few fun hours with Ben, Allison and Helen. They didn't stay as late as the others and wished each other Merry Christmas and holidays, and Vanya didn't correct any of them as she went home.

At home, she took a long shower knowing she didn't have to be up until lunchtime. She was planning to clean up, read her book and head to her mamochka's place the day after by a train. She changed into her fluffy pajamas when she heard her phone vibrate with a new message.

_F: Are you still up?_

She debated for a second if she shouldn't give him the cold shoulder when she reminded herself once again, she wasn't his girlfriend.

_V: Just heading to bed. Are you back?_

She went to bed when she got the next message.

_F: Can you come outside for a moment? Please._

It puzzled her. Why should she come outside? Was he there waiting?

She sneaked to the window and looked recognizing Hazel's car, better yet Five's car which she only saw Hazel drive. Before she knew it she was putting on her shoes and coat over her pajamas and walking out finding Five at the bottom of the stairs.

She blinked and looked again at the car but didn't' see Hazel inside, 'Hi.'

Five was holding something and for a moment Vanya assumed it was her lunch box before she noticed it was a different kind of box, black and fancy looking.

'I came back an hour ago, and Hazel only gave me the lunch box when we were almost by the house,' he said looking and sounding a bit nervous which surprised her. It was late. No one was around, and Vanya was now fully aware she should have changed because it was quite chilly in the middle of the night like this. It must have been past midnight now. Maybe he didn't like them! Maybe he didn't think it was inappropriate for her to make him anything.

_Maybe she was overthinking like always._

'Did you got to taste them-?'

'I ate almost all of them on the way over,' he said holding the black box in both hands for a moment.

Vanya grimaced, 'I doubt that's any close to safe driving.'

'Right,' he said, but it sounded weird like he didn't get what she was saying, and she got worried as well. What was going on? What was on his mind?

'Are you alright?' she asked slowly wondering that maybe it was something to do with his father, and she was so self-absorbed she only thought of herself.

He nodded and then shook his head and then opened the box and showed her the most beautiful silver watch she ever saw.

For a moment neither of them said anything and the air around them changed again right before he said, 'I hope it's okay. I bought it for you, for everything you did so far, and what you mean to me. I wanted to give it to you after the party, but I couldn't make it,' he said frowning, 'Stupid Chinese deal and-never mind, but when I saw you gave me something so unique, and just _you_ , I just…,' he shook his head. It was rare Five didn't know what to say or how to say it, and Vanya found herself oddly touched and excited it was for her.

She took a few steps closer.

'I hope you won't be offended that I bought it and not crafted it or gave you something less expensive because I know you're not that kind of woman who wants expensive things,' he said sounding very nervous, and she recognized his struggle not to offend her with his gift.

She looked down at the watch for a moment before she smiled, 'It's stunning. Thank you, Five.'

The relief was visible as he sighed, and his body relaxed a bit. The change was evident.

He handed the box to her and she took it carefully pulling the watch out of it admiring it in between her fingers. She tried not to think about how much it cost, or how nice it was of him to give it to her before she looked up and found his eyes completely on her.

She smiled again, 'I love it.'

He closed his eyes and smiled as well relieved before he motioned for her to raise her hand. He took the watch from her, his fingers were cold but gentle, and he easily rolled the sleeve of her coat and pajamas higher to reveal her wrist.

Five managed to put on the watch for her in record time running his thumb below it on the naked skin of her wrist before he turned her hand around so they could look at the large clock on it, 'It suits you. I'm glad.'

She nodded looking at it and not being able to stop smiling. He came just so he could give it to her, and he was worried about offending her with such a nice gift. It made her so happy, she could burst into giggles for no reason any moment. No one ever showed that much interest in her. She never allowed anyone close enough to do so. But she was letting him, and he was letting her in in return caring about her and showing interest and just making her feel special, liked and cared for.

They were in comfortable silence for a moment just looking at the watch on Vanya's wrist before Five chuckled and said, 'I hope you know I am never returning the photo.'

Vanya made a distaste noise. Along with the lunch box full of syrnyky she gave him an envelope with a photo from when she was ten in school.

'You look adorable. Much better than me,' he said and raised his hang tugging her hair as if she had pigtails for a moment.

She shook her head recalling the bad picture day, but it was the only one she had around, 'No, I look like a wet cat. You look like a handsome young man.'

Five smirked his eyes never leaving hers, 'You look like a cute little bunny.'

Vanya tried to shove his chest, but he caught her hand there and kept it against it looking at her. At that moment, that second, with that look on his face, so happy, so light, just so beautiful, Vanya had the craziest thought that Five would lean down and kiss her.

She then felt his free hand found her waist again, and he pushed her closer to him slowly swinging from one side to another. It took her a moment to get out of her head and the idea of being kissed by him to realize they were dancing. Slow dancing in fact, on the street, in front of her apartment with her only wearing a coat over her pajamas in the middle of the night before Christmas Eve.

'I still owe you a dance,' he said, and she giggled, 'What about Agnes and the other ladies?'

'I will make it up to them some other time,' he said no doubt joking.

Vanya just smiled and found herself pressing her head against his chest. Without her heels, she was even shorter than usual. Five put his hand higher up her back pulling her close one of his hands still holding hers pressed against his chest as they moved. In Vanya's mind, it was perfect.

She breathed him in feeling much warmer now forgetting about the cold, and just enjoying the moment and Five and his present and everything which happened. She could dance pressed against his chest like this forever.

'By the way, they were delicious. What are they called?' he asked after a moment of comfortable silence.

'Syrnyky,' she said and looked up at him but still continued to move the way he wanted her to, wondering what would her neighbors think if they saw her like this. She was glad he liked them. She only ever had her mamochka and herself to judge, and she always felt a bit self-aware since she knew her mamochka was a great cook.

'Delicious,' he said again still smiling and enjoying the moment just as much as she was apparently, 'Are you going to cook for me now, zayka?'

'I'm not your housewife, Five,' she replied to shot down his cockiness a bit. But then she had the wildest thought. Could she say it? Wouldn't mamochka mind? Wouldn't she think what she already thought Vanya was denying to herself and her? Yet, she found herself saying it before she could turn herself down.

'If you like you can come with me to my mamochka on the 6th,' she offered waiting for him to answer.

'What's on the 6th?' he asked blinking surprised but pleased like the invitation didn't bother him or make him feel uncomfortable.

'Russian orthodox Christmas Eve,' she explained, 'It falls on Saturday so you won't miss work, don't worry,' she said, 'Mamochka and I will prepare only traditional food so if you're interesting you can try it out.'

Five suddenly stopped but continued to hold her close which was odd but nice. She didn't want him to let her go just yet, but she did wonder why didn't he? 'You want me to come to your mamochka's place? Won't she mind?'

Vanya shook her head. Not even sure if that was true or not. She just had this urge to have him come over and... met her mamochka and eat their food and just be with her on their Christmas. She didn't know what she was doing. Maybe she was tired and insane.

'She already thinks you're my handsome and nice boss,' she told him as a matter of fact.

Five watched her probably looking for some doubt or reason not to before he nodded, 'I would love to. Thank you, Vanya.'

She stroked his chest not sure why, 'Don't mention it.' She had to be tired or maybe just so pleased that he showed up with that nice watch. She couldn't believe she invited him like that for Christmas. They never had anyone over. What would she say to mamochka? How would she explain it? Maybe she should have bit into her tongue, but the way he smiled at her now clearly already thinking about it made it hard to regret her decision.

'Wait,' he said suddenly looking at her again, 'If you celebrate on the 6th what do you do tomorrow?'

She shrugged her shoulders, 'Sleep, clean up my apartment, read a book, and the day after that I go visit mamochka, and we're just together. Why?'

'Come to my house,' he said and Vanya grimaced surprised, 'What?'

He smirked, 'I can't have you inviting me for Christmas and not doing the same. That would be extremely rude.'

He was right, sure, but Vanya couldn't imagine how a Christmas went by in his house. What about his father? Would Grace be there? He said they had a cook so the dinner would definitely be delicious at least. She was never invited to anyone's Christmas before so she wasn't sure how it went, but given all she said and done for the man she was crushing on and liked so much, how could she have said no?

'Alright, we can celebrate Christmas twice together this year,' she agreed and smiled at him. Everything was just in such harmony maybe because of the holidays or him coming over or the present or just everything, but Vanya wanted nothing more than to stay outside with him in the cold in his arms like this.

When she sneezed Five frowned, 'You should get inside. I didn't mean to hold you this long out here in your fluffy pink pajamas?' he asked as he eyed her pajama pants under the coat.

She rolled her eyes and defended her choice, 'They're comfy.'

'No, I like them,' he said again looking at her legs, and she had the urge to shove him again, but he looked almost sincere and like he was making fun of her only a little bit.

She shook her head before she thought of something and asked not even sure she was ready for that or wanted it in the first place, 'Would you like to come upstairs?'

The way he gripped her hand a bit tighter, pushed her a bit closer, and frowned a bit more told her all she needed to know about his inner conflict before he said. To be completely honest it wasn't a good idea. It was late. Very late. So coffee was out of the question. He needed to go home not doubt and sleep there, and she had only her short couch which would do him little good. Of course, the naughty side of her brain kicked in saying he could sleep in the bed with her, but either she would not get any sleep knowing her was close or do something irrational and change everything about their future plans of Christmases. And she still didn't know if he liked her that.

'Some other time. It's late,' he said finally looking and sounding very annoyed he had to make the call.

Vanya had this new urge to reach out and run her finger over his frown.

The disappointment, she felt in that moment was short-lived as suddenly the hand from her back was inside her hair and Five leaned down planting a soft kiss on her forehead surprising her and deleting every other thought she might have had in that moment.

His lips definitely lingered against her skin a moment longer before he let her go taking a big step back like he needed to create some space between them or he wouldn't let her go, and honestly, she felt the same.

'Good night, Vanya. I will text you about tomorrow's dinner,' said Five and the smirk on his face was almost too much and yet not enough compare to everything which happened.

As he didn't go further Vanya realized he was waiting for her to get inside as usual. She did so and waved at him goodbye the way she always did before rushing to her apartment feeling wide awake even if it was close to 3 a.m.

She placed the box from the watch on the table giggling and trying to tell herself not to act like a teenager in love but couldn't help it, feeling everything inside her alive and pulsing rethinking and reliving what just happened downstairs feeling like a maniac.

She would need to call mamochka and explain how she ended up inviting Mr. Hargreeves, her boss, who she told her she viewed just as a friend for Christmas, but she didn't even care in the moment with how buzzed she felt.

When she tiptoed to her window, she snuck a peek and saw Five was still in the car. He had to see the light she had on but couldn't see her from the angle. It made her wonder what he was thinking about. After maybe seven minutes he finally started the car and left, and Vanya went to bed.

It took her maybe another hour to fall asleep the watch still on her wrist. She would ruin it if she didn't take better care of it, but for the night she wanted to keep it on feeling Five's fingers on her skin as he helped her put it on, his hand against her back and waist and his lips on her forehead. She just felt him all around her, his smell, presence and warm nicely lulling her to sleep smiling. She couldn't wait for the next time, she would see him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Hey, thank you for all the support you show this story. I am glad so many people like it and want to know more. As you must have noticed it won't be a 4 chapters piece as now I am not sure how much more chapter before the end. Anyway, thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you liked it since it took a while to finish it. If you like feel free to leave some feedback. Have a nice day :)


	5. Chapter 5

Vanya smiled feeling only slightly ridiculous as Five opened the taxi door for her. The front security guy wouldn't let the car in and Hazel had a day off due to Christmas.

Five offered to drive her, but she told him it seemed unreasonable to drive all the way for her to the other part of the city and then back. Not to mention she wasn't sure she would survive a ride in such close proximity with him this soon after last night/early morning. She was still dizzy and lightheaded from it all. Even if she woke up around ten-ish. She stayed in bed looking at the beautiful silver watch not able to put it down or not feel like a school-girl experiencing her first puppy love. She knew she was being ridiculous honestly and rolled her eyes every once in a while at herself thinking: _You're almost thirty. People don't act like that when they're almost thirty._

Still, everything which happened a few hours before made her stomach feeling like it was made of cotton candy, and she couldn't stop smiling having to literally push the corners of her lips down just so her cheeks would stop hurting. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so stupidly happy and tried everything to tune it down a bit.

Five texted her that the dinner would be at 6 P.M, but she should come sooner, and he would show her around the house since they skipped the tour last time. She wanted to faint when he wrote her he was looking forward to her coming over before she cooled herself down that it might not have meant anything. Yet, then she would look at the watch which she now placed on her nightstand so it wouldn't get damaged and blushed when she remembered all the things he told her last night, and how he held her, danced with her, and _kissed_ her forehead and find it impossible not to.

_It had to mean something, right?_

A traitorous thought crossed her mind every now and then before she chased it away. It was one thing to ride on the rainbow of happiness caused by last night, but another to actually start thinking and overthinking and plotting and well _hoping_ about what it all could mean.

Maybe he was just being friendly. Maybe he was so lonely that he jumped at the first chance of someone being nice to him and not treating him just like a boss or maybe she was making it all up and it was the other way around. Or maybe she should stop thinking about it all together before she would lose her mind and text him to cancel. Gosh, she didn't know anymore. This never happened to her. Throughout her romantic part of life, Vanya was always in the clear about where a certain relationship was going or if it had the potential to be a relationship. There were never any miscomprehended signals. She always knew that the men who she dated wanted to date her or just sleep with her. But she knew. Always.

Five was an enigma. Or maybe he wasn't. But in Vanya's mind, she constantly went back and forth with everything which happened and found reasons why to assume he wanted something more from her than working relationship or friendship only to dismiss it all again by knowing someone like him wouldn't _date_ someone like her. They had the perfect balance of being the same in some ways and different in others to create a rare friendship, but a relationship didn't seem like something which could work in her mind. She shouldn't even fantasize about it not that she could stop herself.

Vanya _tried_ to busy herself all through the day. She went into overdrive cleaning her entire apartment which didn't take so much time since she lived in a shoebox and cleaned the place every week. She finished her new Caroline Kepnes's book because she planned to watch the new _You_ series later. She did everything she could to busy herself and not look at the watch and think about Five and how he just… _ruined_ everything inside her mind and life in the most amazing way.

_You can't be falling in love with your boss._

She tried to reason with herself. It was true. Such feelings could bring nothing but trouble as she would absolutely be labeled the office slut and gold digger.

Her good mood fell a bit.

_You can't be falling in love with your friend._

Somehow, which surprised Vanya, given how strict she was about her work and her reputation, _this_ freaked her momentary out even more because if she was wrong or Five didn't feel the same way, and it would damage their relationship she wasn't sure what she would do, but it wouldn't be good. She didn't want to lose Five not even close. He was sort of her first real friend and closest person. She obviously enjoyed spending time with him too damn much and was getting the wrong signals, but she liked having someone to talk and text and just act _human_ around. Someone her own age, someone who understood her a bit and didn't judge or look down on. Someone who she was comfortable to lower some walls and show through some of the curtains to reveal her past, her life, herself.

_'You can't be falling in love with him,'_ she told herself looking into her wardrobe mirror while changing for the third time into a white sweater and black pants.

If only she looked and felt more convinced by her statement though.

'You can't wear those pants,' she groaned and started to pull them down as she noticed a stain on them. Maybe she should have called someone. Allison? Ben?

She shook her head at her reflection. What good would that do? She would call them and what? Say she was spending Christmas with their boss in a _not a date_ way? Then again if it was a Christmas dinner it couldn't count as a date even if it was a date which it wasn't and – she needed to find new pants.

* * *

Despite not having enough to do that day, it seemed like it flew by rather quickly before Vanya found herself stepping out of the cab.

When Five opened the door for her and offered her his hand, Vanya briefly thought about the scene from Pride and Prejudice where Mr. Darcy held Lizzie's hand. She remembered wondering if even in real life such small gestures as one set of fingers touching another could feel so intimate.

Now she knew the answer as a spark shot through Five's fingers against her skin and lightened her whole body like a Christmas tree all over again after she spent hours trying to calm herself down and not feel so romanticized by all of it, by _him_. Damn him and his stupidly handsome face and nice hair and eyes which looked so happy to see her.

'You're not wearing the watch?' he asked once she was out of the vehicle checking her coat, his voice revealing a hint of sadness, yet his face stayed perfectly handsome and stoic.

She immediately pulled out the beautiful watch from her small black bag which she supposed went nicely with her shoes and showed it to him trying to look annoyed even if a smile was pushing its way out on her lips.

'You bought me a watch I can't put on my own,' she complained forcing her voice not to sound so cheerful even if his presence made it impossible. It was true she spent an hour trying to clap it but even with her long and skinny fingers she wasn't able to. It was like the thing was mocking her that she needed _someone_ , him, to help her put it on.

The mood change was evident ad his face lightened up, 'Ah, in that case, let me help you with that.'

He took the liberty of putting the watch on her wrist and the clap fell in easily much to Vanya's annoyance and amusement blaming the redness of her cheeks on the cold, not on the warm feeling inside her stomach.

'Well, this is inconvenient,' she said looking at the watch, 'How will I put it on if you're not around, Five?' she asked looking up at him with the sun getting low so soon it was like she was thrown back a night before when everything made her feel like she was walking on air. How was it she never felt like this before? Not even as a teenager with her first boyfriend, she never felt this _emotional_ and open and like she was feeling everything at once.

His smirk made her knees go weak even more than usual before he said the most ridiculous and romantic thing ever and she didn't know whether to tear her hand which he was still holding away from him and run or not, 'Do you honestly assume there will come a day I will not be around?'

The way he continued to look at her after the question made it sound like he wanted her to answer, and honestly, she didn't know how because she had a feeling she knew what the answer was, but found it impossible to say it because that was not something she could tell him, her friend, her boss, her-just _no_.

She let out a nervous giggle and looked away feeling the embarrassment of the whole situation ruining a bit the warm feeling and making her feel too self-aware in her skirt because of course, she went with a skirt in the end. She should have gone with the pants with the stain.

Five, bless him, offered her a way out when he put his hand away from her arm to her back and started to lead her back to the house while he continued to speak, 'Clearly you do not realize how essential you are to me.'

Her heart speeded up, but she tried to remain calm and turn it into a joke for her sake and the sake of her heart and mind, 'Employee of the month?'

She made the mistake of stealing a glance at him finding him smirking again only this time it was like the gesture held a secret. A secret she was desperate and yet terrified to figure out at the same time.

Rather than to try and figure it all out on the walk to the house she looked around hoping to calm herself and not ruin everything before dinner.

Five kept her close through the long walk to the house. It was dark already because of the winter weather and a bit cold. Again. Damn her skirt.

'Sorry, but there used to be times when reporters tried to get into the house so my father made a rule that no one except for our drivers, us and the staff could enter the property,' he said pulling her a bit to his side which was nice and made her feel a bit warmer in an instant.

Vanya blinked before tensing a bit. She hasn't even thought of possible reporters interested in Five's or hers life. Then again it was a bit of a miracle no one caught them on the camera anywhere before. That time he spun her around on the street? Or whenever he offered her his arm.

_Shit._

'I see. I haven't even thought about that,' she said distantly trying to scare herself by the possibility of someone being outside her apartment last night and catching their bizarre meeting on video.

Five moved his hand to her other arm so he was sort of hugging her while walking her to the house probably because he noticed how tense she got by the idea of paparazzi and witnesses getting the _wrong_ impression.

'Don't worry no one seems too interested in me these days, and it's Christmas even vultures rest,' he joked a bit to lighten her up. It worked a bit. She relaxed a bit but still thought about it all now. She was worried her coworkers might catch onto their _friendship_ but what about everyone else. She shivered at the thought. Maybe her coworkers could forgive her for being close with the boss because they could see she was a hardworking and decent person but the media? Would they bother her? What about her mamochka? Her stomach shrank at the possibility of everything they might say about her. Truth or lies.

Maybe this all was a mistake she should have forbidden a long time ago.

Five paused his steps, and she did the same looking up at him wondering if he was now worried too.

'Are you alright?' he asked turning to face her and putting his hand on her arm. Even with the sweater and coat on top, she could feel the familiar warmth he always had radiating from his body when they touched. How did he do that?

'You're very pale now,' he said sounding concerned his face twisted a bit by a frown which looked upset but also worried.

Vanya shook her head. She didn't want to address the issue now. It was Christmas, and she didn't know if it was a thing to worry about now anyway. She should pause it for a better time after the holidays. They could set some rules. No public touching or acting coupley. Did they act coupley? Wait, but that would be bringing the focus to the fact that maybe someone did see them as coupley which could make Five think _she_ thought they were acting coupley?

Five's face fell a bit, and he took in a sharp breath, 'If you're scared about my father, I can assure you-'

'No!' she cut him off quickly taking his other hand in hers, 'It's alright. I haven't even thought of that.'

_Too much._

It wasn't a complete lie. With _everything_ else on her mind, the possibility of dealing with Reginald Hargreeves again didn't really fill out much space in her already loaded and working on an overdrive mind.

Five frowned a bit. He obviously didn't believe her.

Vanya squeezed his hand firmly. Funny. Neither of them thought about bringing gloves, 'Right now, I'm more worried about freezing my legs off in the stockings,' she said trying to disrupt the tension, 'I really didn't think much about your father. If you trust him enough to invite me over, then I know it's alright for me to come.'

Five watched her for a moment to make sure if she was telling the truth before he nodded and then finished the walk to the house. Why do rich people have to have such long driveways to the house? Sure, she understood the gate and security now, but it could have been closer before the tennis court and fountain at least.

Inside Five helped her out of her coat, and Vanya noticed the way he smirked again before looking away.

'What?'

'Freezing or not, I very much approve of your choice of clothing,' he said and she shook her head trying not to smile or blush and failing at both. Could he maybe for a second not be so smug and charming? Just for a second so she could breathe again.

'So,' he said as they stepped to the very spacey hallway, 'Where do you want to start? Bottom or top?'

She raised her brows at that before he nodded at the staircase.

They started from the top but didn't enter any bedrooms which she was thankful for because she was not ready to see Five's bed. She still had a dinner she needed to function through normally. They had ten bedrooms. Ten. Who needed ten bedrooms? And they weren't bedrooms for the staff because apparently the staff had a separate housing or come to work every day. Seriously, rich people.

'There used to be more people living here,' argued Five when he must have seen the bit of judgment in her eyes.

She chuckled, 'Like who?'

'Father and his sisters, his parents, grandparents,' said Five and shrugged his shoulders, 'All of them passed away now so it's just the two of us and Grace,' he explained and they continued to walk through the studies and the enormous library which Vanya might have fallen in love with. It looked like it was from a fairy tale.

'It must be a bit lonely? Having gone from a full house to a few people around,' she said trying to see Five's reaction.

'It was an adjustment, but I spent more time in boarding schools and college than here,' he said as they paused by a few paintings of Reginald and his two sisters. Everyone looked so cold and distant. She wondered if it was just from having to sit in front of a painter for that long or because of the atmosphere in the house. Everything in the house felt elegant and rich and _cold_. Like it was something to be admired, but never to be lived in and be happy. Even with no friends, with mamochka Vanya always felt like she was at home. In a warm and good place, she could always come to and feel safe and protected.

It made her feel upset that Five didn't have that growing up. That he had love in such a house. With no love and no warmth. It caused her to shiver before they moved onto the next room.

They didn't go to any of the bedrooms which she was grateful for because she wouldn't be able to keep a straight face if she saw his bed. Not after everything that happened and the chaotic mess of emotions going on inside her.

All the rooms were beautiful, but they made her feel like she was in a place she couldn't be herself. She couldn't act herself or silly because someone was watching. Because the fancy walls and paintings were watching and judging and thinking less of you. Her stomach sank again. How was she supposed to eat here?

The rooms she felt good about were the library, she started to adore, and Study B gave her a sense of comfort again since it reminded her of Five's study in the firm.

They went to the living room close to the dining room where Vanya felt they could throw upper-class parties. Hargreeves senior and Grace were already waiting for them.

Vanya forced herself to act friendly and nonchalant not showing even in the slightest if she felt differently about Mr. Hargreeves after the incident.

She greeted both of them even shook Grace's hand, but Reginald barely acknowledged her mostly just standing close until Grace got him to his seat in the dining room. Vanya didn't feel offended or anything. She was actually grateful the man ignored her. Five seemed so too because she noticed he kept at arm's length to her or her father the whole time before they moved to the dining room where he sat down next to her.

The dinner was spectacular of course. Not that she expected anything less given their wealth. Grace promised to tell Diego, who was apparently their cook how much she enjoyed it.

'Ms. Babkin, what is it that your mother does again?' asked suddenly Mr. Hargreeves once they got to the dessert, and Vanya froze a bit for a moment even forgetting the man was there as they purposely or not talked about things like the city and politics skipping work and company.

Vanya could feel Five was looking at her since he was sitting next to her. If it was to support or stop her she didn't know, but she honestly wasn't sure she could ignore the question when the old man was looking directly at her so she answered, 'She's a cleaning lady in a nearby restaurant and a dressmaker in her free time.'

'Ah, that must have been very helpful growing up,' said Grace with her polite smile, 'My grandma use to make me sweaters.'

Vanya nodded falling back to the calmness from before with Grace's words before Reginald asked, 'Ah, yes, I believe, the committee mentioned that when you received the scholarship.'

She nodded not too sure how to continue afterward, and in what year the old man's mind was before he asked, 'And your father?' Her stomach made a dreadful flip which given the amount of food she just consumed was not a wise move.

'I don't recall anyone really mentioning Mr. Babkin,' he said and Vanya forced the smile to cover her face the best way she could before she shrugged her shoulders.

'Leave it, father,' said Five, and it was only then Vanya sensed the way his voice was restrained.

She looked over and blinked surprised as she found the same furious expression on Five's face she recalled from the incident with Harold. It was so rare to see Five _this_ angry. He was the silent type and even if he did get upset it was mostly annoyed, he let slip more or less in the comfort of his office when it was just the two of them. This was different. It genuinely looked like he wanted to go head-on with his father and that was the last thing Vanya wanted on Christmas Eve in his house.

She tried as secretly as she could to sneak her hand from the table and put it against his knee in hope of a smoothing gesture she turned to Reginald and replied, 'He's not around, sir. It's a long story.'

He nodded and let it go changing the conversation to China's economical market, and then to some storm from twenty years ago. At some point, she felt Five's hand found herself and then they continued to hold hands. They remained like that even if she had trouble holding hands.

It was still nice. Apart from that Reginald called her Sophia when wishing them a good night and Grace said it was a lovely evening. It really was.

'His previous secretary,' whispered Five as they were leaving, and Vanya nodded. She wondered how many more people he would mistake her for. It was odd.

She wondered if she should now tell Five her goodbye. She probably should. He invited her to spend Christmas dinner together which they did enjoy wonderful food and pleasant conversation. So now it was time to go home and get some sleep before her train ride tomorrow to mamochka. But was it really so terrible she didn't want to? As they watched Grace help Reginald up the stairs, she knew she should probably call it a day, but she felt really good with Five.

'I'm sorry about father,' he said once the two other inhabitants were out of earshot.

She shook her head, 'That was nothing. Anyone can ask. I'm pretty sure I asked you some things you didn't want to talk about.' She was hinting at the time she asked about his mother.

'Yes, but not the way he asked,' said Five and she recognized the anger from earlier.

She took his hand again and squeezed it. She wondered when did it become so natural to touch one another. It seemed like it always was, and she never had to think about it.

'It was really nothing, and I enjoyed the evening,' she assured him.

He watched her and nodded, but she could tell he wasn't convinced.

She tried to change the topic, 'I did notice though. No Christmas tree?'

'We only had those when there was a Christmas party in the house. Otherwise, no,' said Five and nodded to the large lounge room, 'Everything was about appearance.'

'Well, that's sad,' she pointed out and looked at the spot they probably had an enormous tree-like from Home Alone.

'We only had a small one. On the table. Mamochka and I made it from old canes,' she grimaced, and Five chuckled.

She looked at him, 'So fancy dinner, no trees. Was there any other James _Five_ Hargreeves tradition?'

He thought about it, 'No presents at least not the kinds you might assume a child might want to get from Santa because father thought it would spoil me. No giving him gifts because he dismisses every picture I ever drew him.'

'Au,' she winced.

'He really wanted that father of the year award,' joked Five before he smirked, 'But there was one thing. If you're not too tired?'

She immediately shook her head and let him lead her up the stairs. It was only once they entered the room, she realized it was his bedroom which was linked with the living room.

She turned away as he closed his bedroom door so he wouldn't notice her rapidly going red cheeks.

Five walked around the couch, 'Most of my nannies and the staff were tormented by father too much to try and act too friendly with me. But Mrs. Kendell would bring me up for bed and let me watch one of the old movies in secret if father had a party or just didn't pay enough attention,' he explained and turned on the TV.

Vanya smiled picturing the little boy with the blanket around his shoulders in front of the TV with his nanny, 'I can definitely see you all too eager to stay just a bit longer at night.'

He smirked, 'Any chance of misbehaving or acting like a real kid was a blessing.'

'He was really hard on you, wasn't he?' he asked. She didn't know much about his father but everything told her he was not the kind of dad you would want. It was made it easy to see why was Five sometimes so guarded and lonely.

'He was raised the same way. Work no play. Do what you have to do. No distractions. It was the Hargreeves way I supposed,' he shrugged his shoulders before Vanya spotted his face going into a blank expression, 'I used to…imagine what it would have been like to grow up somewhere else. If I had loving parents who spent time with me apart from the obligation of grades and holidays.'

'What did you think it would be like?' she asked and he shook his head, 'Not for me. Even in boarding schools, I was still me. I still had my ego and wanted to be the best. I still didn't like to spend time with people not smart enough. I still judged people and acted very poorly to those I thought were beneath me.'

She raised her brows, 'I can't really imagine you like that.'

'Right,' he said dryly.

'For real,' she argued, 'Even when you clearly don't like someone or their behavior you're mostly reserved and closed. Even with Jenkins and you're a father you tried to hold it not to cause a scene.'

He shook his head and took the remote, 'That's just the upraising. Even when I kid I was told not to cry so loud or throw tantrums. But let's be honest the only reason it didn't end in me punching someone it's because of you.'

She blinked, 'What do you mean?'

'You calm me down.'

She wasn't sure how to respond. She knew she did. It was why she touched him before and why he probably only spoke with Jenkins when he was annoying her in the elevator.

Before she could say something not even sure what he turned around and put on _It's a wonderful life,_ she gasped, 'I love that one.'

She sat down on the couch pulling her feet under her legs before she could stop herself. Five didn't seem to notice or mind as he sat down next to her as the opening credits started to roll, 'It was the favorite one of my nanny. It became a tradition. Sort of.'

She giggled and for a moment the two of them just watched one another before Five looked away and leaned further into the couch. It was nice to be here with him. She was worried it would be weird and her mixed feelings would get the best of her, but so far it was nice. Calm and nice.

'Are you saying the words from the movie?' he asked suddenly and she blushed as she didn't realize she did.

'You watched it a lot I take it,' said Five with that distinguishing grin and Vanya fixed her skirt a bit, 'Yeah, I did and so did you so put that judgment out of your voice, mister.'

He raised his hands in defends and the two of them returned to the movie.

At one point, Vanya watched as Clarence was about to show George was would the world be without him and in another she opened her eyes to the ending credits.

She didn't move for a moment just taking it all in. She was laying on a comfortable couch and next to someone's soft breath and warm.

She titled her head and blinked looking at Five's sleeping face. He was laying with his head close to hers. Their shoulders were touching and everything felt like it slowed down by eighty percent.

Vanya didn't smile or think anything about it. She was in absolute peace at that moment with their situation, both current and in general.

She didn't want to or couldn't deal or think and overthink everything at that moment, so she didn't.

She just calmly closed her eyes again, shifted the tiny bit closer to Five pressing her temple against his shoulder and took a deep breath letting the sleep take her once again. She didn't care. She felt too damn good to care or to make amends or reasons why she shouldn't. So she didn't.

The second time she woke up she wasn't even sure she was awake. Her eyes were closed, but she felt herself being lifted from the couch like she weighed nothing. Her body was boneless and the whole thing reminded her of being on the swing when your feet are off the ground and you feel like you could touch the clouds if you raise your hands high enough.

She took in a deep breath recognizing Five's cologne from earlier. It was fantastic. How come he always smelled and looked so good? It was unfair really.

Vanya felt pretty good at that moment. She felt comfortable. Even more than on the thousand dollar couch. Then she felt herself slowly coming back to the ground only instead of hardwood or wet grass it was something very silky like. It smelled even nicer than the cologne.

She felt something very tender against her hand and neck for a moment before she thought she heard someone say something. She had no energy to open her eye though so she just stayed there in the surreal experience of senses enjoying every moment of it.

Then something very warm and gentle touched her chin and she felt like smiling from the ticklish sensation. The feeling remained against her skin for a moment before, it was gone and Vanya was slowly slipping into the dreamland again.

She snuggled into something warm and silky and chuckled to herself feeling like she was inside a cocoon of the wonderful feeling of warmth and smell. Right before she dozed off she realized she recognized it. How could she not, every time he drove her home and his cologne worn off in the intimate presence of being together inside his car after a day in the office tired and just themselves. It often felt like everything peeled off them, all the good manners, all the facades, moral codes, office rules, even expensive colognes. And there inside his car in close proximity, they could be themselves.

Her new dreamland cocoon smelled like Five too now. She fell asleep letting it spread over her like sugar on desserts.

* * *

Her awaking wasn't rude or loud. It was caused after seemingly no time has passed by a gentle touch of Five's hand against her cheek. She recognized it immediately and blinked her eyes awake. She was less tired now, but still not fully awake.

'Vanya,' his voice was so quiet. She always found it ironic that people tried to whisper people awake. It went against the whole process of waking someone up to be this quiet.

She blinked a few times looking at him and his changed clothes and realizing she was no longer on the couch as even in the dark of the room and the only light coming from another room she recognized she was not in front of a TV. Nope. She was in bed. And since all of what happened and what she experienced yesterday came rushing back to her she realized she must have been in Five's bed where he _carried_ her after she let herself fall asleep on the couch the second time.

She swallowed a bit, her throat was dry.

'Come on,' he said his hand which didn't leave her cheek stroking her again, 'let's eat some breakfast so I can take you home. Did you already pack?' he asked and her mind raced. Packed. Of course, she had to pack because she was heading to mamochka today to spent time with her.

She tried to look around to find an alarm clock noting a bit how enormous was Five's bedroom before he shook his head, 'Don't worry. We still have about an hour and a half.'

She nodded and let herself calm down a bit before brushing her hair knowing she looked terrible.

Five pulled away and let her get up. She went to his bathroom and then to the kitchen getting breakfast which might as well be the second-best waffles she ever had.

'Second?' laughed Five while they were eating, and she shrugged her shoulders and said smugly, 'I make the best waffles.'

He raised his brows, 'I will believe it when I try them.'

'Next time then,' she replied without thinking but smiled anyway. Even with the oddness of having breakfast early in the morning with Five, she couldn't stop her good mood.

They finished quickly, and since it was too early Grace and Reginald weren't up yet, so they quietly got out of the house with Vanya's reputation suffering a minimum blow. It felt more like it was just a dream as they didn't meet or see anyone on their way from the house to her apartment.

They laughed it off that they slept during the movie.

He didn't say it, and Vanya didn't ask, but she spotted the blanket on the couch on her way out of his bedroom, so she knew he let her have the whole bed to herself. Tomorrow or even maybe a couple of hours from now when she would be sitting on the train she would _freak the hell out_ because of it, but at that moment, in a comfortable and nice ride in Five's car, she couldn't really. All she couldn't think about was how still a bit tired but happy she felt in his presence from spending so much time with him.

He parked outside her apartment but again refused to go since they needed to hurry.

'I want a proper tour of your place, Vanya,' he said almost serious which caused her to giggle, 'Jeez, I wonder if it will take me 5 minutes or 7 to show you my kitchen and living room and dining room.'

He smirked at her and his green eyes sparkled. He was happy too. Happy and relaxed which was a bit odd. She caught glimpses of it often, but never for this long. How much nicer and happier would he have been if he took more days off? She wondered.

'Then I suppose you're going to have to drag the tour as much as you can or maybe we could spend more time in the bedroom,' he said and even with her good mood she couldn't help but blush before hitting his shoulder in a childlike way and hurrying out of the car hearing his chuckle follow her.

_Idiot_.

She was already packed and prepared what she wanted to wear so she just changed hoping mamochka wouldn't catch Five's cologne on her or the smell of his bed.

She momentarily allowed herself to close her eyes and sniff her own hair still feeling traces of him the way she usually did only in the car. The scent was captivating enough to make her just lay in bed and stay there, but the reminder that the man who it belonged to was outside made her rush out of there quicker.

On the ride to the train station, they felt into a nice silence just watching the road and lost in their own thoughts.

'I hope it wasn't too much for you,' he said when he stopped on the side of the road close to the place.

She shook her head, 'It was all lovely. Everyone was nice and on their best behavior. Maybe except you,' she grinned and watched him roll his eyes and let out a dry, 'Ha.'

They fell into silence for a moment not sure maybe how to say goodbye after this.

Vanya checked the time on her watch. She needed to head to the platform.

'Thank you for inviting me, it was really fun and nice,' she assured him, 'and I hope you will feel the same about late Christmas dinner with my mamochka.'

Something shifted behind his eyes for a moment, the same something she caught a few times now before. It was something secretive and special even if Vanya wasn't sure what it was.

When he looked away his good mood slipping away as he pointed out, 'You should head out if you want to get a sit.'

His eyes were fixed on the entrance to the train station away from her. He looked a bit sad now. Because she was leaving? Because they wouldn't see each other for a few days? It made her feel a bit sad too which was ridiculous. She knew the man less than a year, and she already grew more attached to him than anyone before him.

The sudden realization that he would be gone and they wouldn't see each other crawled upon her and made her blood run cold inside. She even shivered.

It was a spike decision about what she did next. She just felt herself finally coming awake from the haze of comfort and warmth they created by spending last night together and the cruel reality was too much to handle at the moment.

Before he would turn around and catch her in the act, she leaned over her sit not held back by the safety belt anymore. She was a bit surprised she managed to do so without alerting him or slipping.

She felt him take a sharp intake when she pressed her lips against his cheek in a chaste kiss before she leaned away with a smile, 'Merry Christmas-'

She was startled for a second when she felt him catch her arm and put his other hand on the side of her neck. It would have caused her to shiver in the cold if it the intensity of his green eyes didn't cause her to melt right then and there as all she could do was look at him speechless. They were impossibly close, and Vanya could feel everything from his warm breath to the wheels inside his mind as he ever so slightly leaned his face toward hers. She blindly followed almost meeting him in the middle. It was all surreal. She had to be dreaming. She was probably still in his bed inhaling his wonderful smell which made her have these daring dreams threatening to ruin her sanity.

Her eyes shut on their own or maybe it was her brain that subconsciously told her to do so. She felt almost like a puppet completely at the mercy of its master as the moment her lips felt Five's breath against them they parted. This was strange and nice. She never waited this long. There was never such long anticipation for contact, for a…kiss. She never knew it could be so intriguing to just _wait_ for it to happen.

She could feel the ghost of his lips close indicating he moved closer. She could almost feel them on her own. _Almost_.

Then they were pulled apart by the abrupt and violating sound of someone's horn very close.

Vanya looked away pressing a hand against her chest that was now raising faster than before due to getting startled. She realized just then what could have happened and what they almost did right there in the car.

'Train,' said Five suddenly and Vanya nodded feverishly like a cartoon character, 'Yes, my train.'

They remained like that for a moment both avoiding to so much as glance at each other before Vanya decided she couldn't take the embarrassment and awkwardness anymore and rushed out of the car feeling mortified.

They almost…kissed. It wasn't just in her head. He leaned toward her and pulled her closer and they almost kissed. It was horrible. Now it was out there in the air mocking her as something which almost happened but didn't and both of them would have to somehow deal with it or look past it.

She pulled her travel bag closer for a moment as she walked away without a second glance until she jumped by the horrible sound of another horn. What was it with people today?

She turned around just to see Five abruptly raise his head from the steering wheel which must have caused the sound now.

He noticed her and offered her a weird like wave that went completely against his always cool and confident façade. She didn't return it too stunned by all which happened before hurrying away so he wouldn't annoy other drivers.

She got on her train just in time, took her seat, and sit still trying to figure out what just happened or almost happen and what would have happened if they weren't interrupted. What would happen if they really kissed and what would happen now?

In the end, she could come up with was: _Shit!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Hey, I am really sorry I haven't updated or posted anything for so long, but I have some health problems, and I was not in the mood to just write or do anything really. Anyway, hope you will forgive me and liked the chapter. I hope to write more now, but I will see how I will be feeling. Thank you for reading, the support and feel free to comment.


	6. Chapter 6

'Did something happened?' her mamochka had asked her the question five times in total. The first time was right after her arrival when she put her bag down, hugged her said she looked well all while the other woman eyed her careful in that way which made Vanya as a child believe her mamochka knew _everything_ , every mischief, every lie, every misbehavior before she asked her that dreadful question.

'No, everything's fine,' she replied far easier than she expected she would before they moved on. Over the course of the new two days her which they spent by taking walks, watching TV while talking, her mamochka found moments she least expected it to ask the question over and over again until she had her bag packed again, her mamochka gave her another hug and asked her the final time, 'Are you sure nothing happened?'

Vanya smiled at the older woman and put her hands on her cheek and kissed her forehead, 'Yes, everything's fine.'

She couldn't remember the first time she started keeping things from her mamochka or full-on lying, but it must have been when she first started to avoid conversation about her upraising, house or life in general.

_'Katyonak, you can always invite someone over,'_ said her mamochka while cooking. Vanya used to have a bad taste in the mouth when she was younger because she would have to say she didn't want to and lie why. Then later at night she stayed away scaring herself she was not a good daughter or person because she was ashamed of her life. However, with months and years, she convinced herself it was just to avoid pity and confusion of others. Her classmates wouldn't understand why her mamochka made her clothes, why they used to sleep together in the living room because they had no bedroom. And if she ever heard someone being rude to her or insulted her, Vanya wasn't sure what she would have done, but she didn't want to find out. Over time it was easier to convince herself she was doing the right thing for her mamochka's sake, for her own sake. The older she got the more she realized it was a necessity not to tell parents everything just like parents didn't tell kids everything.

She didn't tell her when one of her classmates accused her of stealing her jacket. The jacket was found an hour later so they didn't even contact her mamochka. Vanya didn't tell her about how she wanted to punch the girl or stab her with a pencil when she heard her forced apology.

She didn't tell her mamochka when a new bus driver held her alone on the bus for extra 20 minutes refusing to let her go making her feel like crying before she finally convinced him her parents were waiting for her and would get worried.

She didn't tell her why she started to take a different bus.

She didn't tell her about most of her boyfriends and how they broke up.

And she sure as hell didn't tell her about her almost-kiss with her boss.

Vanya avoided thinking about it as much as possible which proved to be one of the greatest challenged of her year because how could she not think about it?

She tried to rationalize it somewhat. She kissed his cheek, and he wanted to return the favor. He had a momentary blackout and assumed she was someone else. He was attracted to her just as much as she was to him.

Her own thoughts made her let out an annoyed sigh and frown.

This was ridiculous. It was also more than ridiculous that Five hadn't replied to her super casual text that took her hours to craft into the perfection of complete subtlety.

_How are you?_

He couldn't have at least answered to that right? It wasn't like she was asking why did he almost kiss her, or what it meant, or what were they supposed to do about it now?

_Asshole_.

Her ride home was a blur and honestly, after spending two days with mamochka in close proximity and before that in Five's house, it felt incredibly lonely to be in her small apartment.

Maybe she should get a cat.

_Nope!_

Since she started to live on her own she promised herself, she would not go down that road and turn into a cat lady and die alone. At least for mamochka's sake.

She really didn't know what to about it all and the fact that she should go to work in a few days and deal with _it_ , with Five didn't help. It didn't help that she wanted to see him and talk to him and didn't know how or about what. She knew she didn't want to talk about the kiss. She couldn't imagine herself actually bringing it up, or her strange slowly expanding feelings for him. She wasn't even sure she could talk about it if he brought it up. It made her feel strange and on unknown grounds which forced her to feel nervous. She didn't like how nervous it made her feel. She never felt like that and she hated feeling somewhat out of her control. She knew she liked him. Obviously. She did but being with him was out of the question. Right? She made the list of pros and cons a while back, and it was more than clear that she couldn't _date_ him. It just wouldn't work at all. Them almost kissing was just…them spending too much time together and her feelings getting the best of her and him…it wasn't even her fault really he was the one who grabbed her and just started to lean closer and her body just reacted. It was so damn long since she had a date let alone was kissed so yeah when he attractive as hell boss who she was crushing on and cared for deeply when for it she responded but that didn't change the fact it was a physical error. If they weren't so close, she would never do that, and she was sure he wouldn't either, right?

It would have been better if he at least replied to her to ease her nerves. Was he embarrassed? Did he think it was a mistake as well? This was the longest they had gone without a single text or phone call and Vanya's stomach felt like it wanted to empty itself every time she checked her phone only to find no message. When did she become so dependent on him? How did she turn into this neurotic mess because of some guy? A guy, who clearly didn't overthink everything the way she did as he didn't even have the decency to somewhat repair their relationship and answer her text?

_Screw it! Screw him! Screw this sickness in her stomach whenever she thought about it and imagined how to hell get back to work and act like a normal person!_

She took her phone again opened the messages and wrote in a hurry before pausing and reading the message over and over again.

_If you're worried about before. Don't. It was nothing._

She felt like her fingers suddenly were the heaviest part of her body and it was impossible to move it and press sent.

She took in a deep breath and went to press sent for real but the second before she got a message from him and dropped her phone in surprise.

'Shit!'

Vanya snatched it from the ground and without even checking for scratches immediately went to search the message.

_I apologize for my behavior before. I hope it will not affect our working relationship or friendship._

After wanting him to answer for so long his actual text didn't make her feel better.

She watched it for a couple of moments feeling herself grown numb the longer she did. Like of course, he would say that. What else he could have said? Did she somewhere deep down in the smallest corner of her heart hoped he would say something else? How would that work? Didn't she fear that possibility more than anything? Now she had a clean exit which was great. This was exactly what she hoped for. A way out without damaging their already good relationship.

_Good. Then we're on the same page. It was an error for both of us._

She gripped the phone a bit tighter for a moment before setting it down on the table. She didn't check if he replied anything not really in the mood to know.

* * *

In the morning she was already waiting for the car on the street before their usual time.

Five only shortly texted her if the time would be okay for her and she only shortly replied. It felt tense. Setting things straight should have clear the air for them, but it didn't. It felt like they were both upset and Vanya hoped it wouldn't affect their relationship and they would be able to move on and go back to the way things were. She tried not to dwell on what would that mean. She liked having him in her life. Her crush or whatever was just a minor inconvenience, but she go around it without making it difficult for them. And it didn't matter because he didn't _know_ about the mentioned crush. She hoped they could carry on from the almost kiss and just...Spending Christmas together? Would he even spend Christmas with her now? That thought that he might not want to made her feel so much worse.

When the car pulled revealing Hazel and not Five in the driver's seat, Vanya tried not to feel too disappointed or take it as a bad sign. Maybe Five was just busy, and it had nothing to do with her. Hazel talked about his Christmas successfully avoiding anything even close to Hargreeves so that was a total dead end. Vanya had no idea if between then time they almost kissed and the text message something happened which made Five think he needed to set things straight. They could have full-on avoided the topic all together in Vanya's opinion. She spent the better part of last night trying to get her face not to blush every time she thought of the taste of his breath against her lips and she _almost_ managed to achieve not looking like a tomato so progress.

'Good thing, we're back to work, maybe Mr. Hargreeves won't be in such a terrible mood,' he said just as he parked the car and Vanya had to get out.

'He's in a bad mood?' she asked slowly, and he grimaced, 'More or less. He came to the office 2 hours ago. He didn't look happy. Not that he usually did.' That information was at least a bit useful. So Five was upset. Was it work-related? Maybe something happened after their kiss which had nothing to do with her. She hoped that was the case.

_God, let that be the case._

Her mind betrayed her as in the elevator she realized it was something which bothered him and work-related and he didn't talk about it with her. She became his go-to person when it came to work-related issues of all sorts and yet, he didn't tell her anything about this. He didn't even reply to her text. The first one, and once again he didn't inform her he wouldn't come to pick her up. She knew it sounded like she was an upset girlfriend, but she was pretty sure friends didn't do this to friends either.

The elevator door and her assistant, Helen, who here early as well, left her no time to think if she should go to his office as she was forced to jump into the work circle and get things done. She was a bit caught off-guard by all the work that piled up in the few days but still forced herself to go through with it not thinking about Five and their situation. _Too much_.

By the time Helen said she was going for lunch, she was left surprised because Five didn't text her, didn't stop by her office to ask her to lunch, didn't even…leave a note. This was strange, and it reminded her of the time during the Christmas party when she was also left a bit behind.

Five was the CEO. He had responsibilities and priorities different than average people, and Vanya understood that she and what she wanted couldn't even be on his radar when he needed to secure a multimillion-dollar company with thousands of employees to continue to run smoothly. She didn't even want to, but also…she felt a bit betrayed realizing she would always get left behind like this. No explanation, no call, no text. She would just get left in the dark or in her place until Five would think it was fitting to go to her like she had all the time in the world for him and whatnot. It felt like the time she didn't have any friends in school and this boy started to show interest in her. He would stop by her desk or catch her alone in the hallway. He was nice to talk to, and maybe if Vanya was being honest with herself she even liked him, but he never introduced her to any of his friends, he didn't even greet her if he was walking with someone so eventually, she stopped paying mind to him and avoided him for good measures.

So Five doing something very similar caught a nerve, even if she didn't let it show.

Allison even said she looked like she had a good holiday. Vanya forced down the venom when she chatted with her about the vacation. All the time she tried to pay attention to hear or caught a glimpse of Five or about what was going on, but all in all, it proved to be hopeless. She was hopeless.

* * *

'I like your shoes,' she heard and looked up at the woman by her side who was next to her in the elevator. Time flew so fast she didn't even realize when it was almost time to go home and given how upset she was deep down, Vanya would enjoy nothing more, but she still needed to stick around apparently because her computer was playing pranks on her.

It was a tall very elegant woman who looked in her late forties with strikingly white hair which gave Vanya a strange feeling of being in the presence of someone extravagant, 'Thank you. I like your hat.'

The woman offered her a smile and turned to the elevator door. Vanya was on her way to see Ben or someone else from the IT since her computer was acting out a bit, and he wasn't answering his phone. Maybe he just had a lot of work on the first day.

'If I may ask, how long do you work here?' asked the woman and when Vanya looked at her she saw the woman was sneaking glances of her from the corner of her eye, 'A few months. It's going to be a year in the spring.'

The woman nodded and smiled again or better yet smirked in a way Vanya found all the upsetting and familiar at the same time before she continued, 'And how is it?'

Vanya was never a small talk person with a stranger. She liked the silence really, and something about the woman and her questions was making her feel vary like she was on thin ice.

She offered the woman a polite smile when she answered, 'It's good. Thank you'

'I can't imagine it not. Making CFO in less than a few months, working so closely with someone as talented and intelligent as Mr. Hargreeves,' said the woman and Vanya froze in place suddenly feeling like she needed to get out of the elevator because there was not enough oxygen in the room.

Luckily the door opened revealing Five and Ben standing there talking about something in hushed voice immediately shutting up when the door opened. For a brief moment when their eyes met before he looked at the other woman, Vanya felt at least a tiny bit of relief over finally not being alone with her. Even if they weren't talking and were in a weird place at least for a moment when their eyes caught onto one another Vanya felt like she could breathe again. And in the next moment when she realized this, she felt all the more confused and bad about their situation. How could she go on and work normally with them being mad at each other and not talking when literally just making eye contact with him made her feel so much better.

'Ah, speaking of the devil,' said the woman charmingly still smirking, 'You have such lovely employees, Mr. Hargreeves.'

Vanya watched confused as the woman put her hand against Five's chest looking like a predator ready to strike.

Five didn't answer her just continued to watch her in a passive way like he wasn't even there before the woman turned back to her and Vanya felt cold for some reason. This woman was very scary.

'It was so nice to meet you, Ms. Babkin. Keep up the good work,' she said lightly like she was her employee when she didn't even know who the hell this creepy woman was before she gave Five a knowing look and walked away causing even Ben to jump away from her track like he didn't like the woman.

The three people remained still without a word before Vanya snapped out of it a bit at least to fill the silence with, 'Ben, I was looking for you.'

'I will look into your computer,' he said quickly and Vanya blinked surprised, 'Oh, thanks. How did you know-?'

'I saw your calls, and Donna told me,' he said all too quickly which made Vanya suspicious.

'Okay, it's been acting weird all day. Like it's slow or something maybe just-'

'Ms. Babkin, please come with me,' said Five suddenly cutting her off and literally putting his hands on her arm and pushing her into the elevator while also pressing the button to close the door.

'I will check your computer right now,' called Ben before the door closed.

Vanya was confused, 'What are you doing? What's going on? I need to explain to Ben what is wrong with my computer.'

'I already told him,' said Five and pressed the emergency button which caused the elevator to stop and the red light to turn on.

Vanya's panic mode kicked in and she stepped to the right corner of the elevator.

'What the hell? What are you doing?' she demanded knowing all too well her voice was an octave high than usual.

She wasn't scared of the elevator or small spaces per se, but she was always a bit tense if the ride inside them was taking too long and she couldn't take her mind out of it. Alright, maybe she was a bit scared when the elevator suddenly stopped, and they were inside it like this _not moving_!

'Did that bitch know your name or did you introduce yourself to her?' Five asked and Vanya blinked startled by the question, but it was something she was thinking about as well, 'She knew my name. She knew I was CFO too.'

Five cursed, 'Fuck.'

'What is it?' she said and hugged her shoulders getting sweaty under her clothes. She hoped she didn't stink, 'Who was she?'

'Ms. Handler,' said Five with a certain hater in the voice one she hadn't even heard while talking about his father or the Jenkins family.

Vanya swallowed feeling herself getting warm in the small elevator space along with Five the place only lightened by the small emergency light which was red.

'Listen to me,' he said and took her arms again before his frown melted a bit into confused and reached for one of her palms, 'Your hands are cold, but you're sweating.'

She let out a nervous giggle which was pure panic. Maybe she should just tell him to freaking let the elevator run again, right?

'Are you afraid of small spaces?' he asked and Vanya shook her head, 'No, I just don't like them. I was never stuck in an elevator before.'

Five pulled her closer suddenly trapping her inside his embrace as his hands moved to her back.

'You do realize this makes even less space for me, right?' she asked, but already let go of herself and hugged him around the waists pulling herself even more to him. She missed him. Gosh, she missed him so much, and it had been only a couple of days.

'Is that why you're holding onto me for dear life, zayka?' he asked the good-natured teasing almost back in his voice. She missed that as well.

'Five? Just shut up,' she said proudly of herself that she did and even smiled when she heard him chuckle loudly while brushing her hair and back.

They remained like that for a while before Five said his voice serious again, 'If you can avoid that woman at all costs for your own sake.'

'Why? Who is she? A reporter?' she asked already imagining a scenario where someone would imply Mr. Hargreeves offered a position to his girlfriend. Then she felt herself mentally reminding herself because she was _not_ his girlfriend.

'A bitch,' he said and put his chin on top of her head which was in such a contrast to his harsh words. He almost never actually called someone names in her presence even when someone messed up or was a dick. She was a bit surprised, and maybe a tiny bit thrilled.

'What ex-girlfriend?' she asked feeling herself swallowing hard not sure if from staying in the elevator or what would she do if the answer was yes.

'No, she's a vulture,' he said, and it was so strange how he could hold her still so nicely and yet speak of someone else so angrily. How could he be so gentle with her and so upset with someone else at the same time?

She took a deep breath as much as it was nice that Five was holding her, and it made her feel better about the elevator, she needed answers.

Slowly her hands moved from his back to his chest and she pushed him away a bit noting he continued to hold her with one hand around the waists and the other on the back of her head. Could he stop confusing her so much?

'Why did you stop the elevator? Why not just talk in your office?' she asked him trying to read his face.

His face looked very serious, 'Someone bugged my office, and probably yours and every head of the department's.'

Vanya's eyes widened as she tried to process the news and see if he wasn't joking, 'Oh? My computer…'

'Ben had put a tracking software early this morning to determine if they also got into your computer, but it is quite possible that they did,' he said.

She shivered at the idea that someone was going through her computer like that and worse that they heard some of her conversations with Five, 'Do we know who-?'

'Ms. Handler specializes in selling information let's call, it in our field of business,' he said, 'She offered to release the information for a cost of course.'

Vanya frowned a bit, 'So was it her?'

'No, she only got a hold of the information and came to sell it to us. One of our competitors whose newest addition to the team is Harold Jenkins Jr.,' he explained and Vanya felt her head spinning again.

'So what now?' she asked holding into Five's jacket a bit tighter, 'We use it to our advantage. We act like nothing is wrong and feed them some false information. So far they hadn't used anything they could have to get from us which means they are waiting for something specific.'

Somehow that made her feel even more worried. Why not tank them the first chance they had? Why wait? And for what?

'You hired Ms. Handler to figure it out?' she asked and Five let out an odd grimace which made him look almost disgusted, 'Unfortunately, she's the most competent and resourceful woman I know, so she will get the job done.'

Vanya watched his eyes. She could tell something was there but not what it was, 'Why don't you like her so much?'

'I don't like her methods,' he said, and she just knew that wasn't the whole truth.

She still let it go for now, 'What do you want me to do?'

'For now, act like nothing happened,' he said still holding her close to him, 'We can go over some of their previous work to try and figure out what they could be after on our own of course. Ms. Handler is very skilled, but I don't plan to sit around and wait for their blow. Also if they gathered other information, I want to know what could cause us additional blow if they decided to leak it later,' his words were serious again, and Vanya couldn't help herself but feel the same way. If someone got truly ahold of all their company's information, it could really hurt the company's name and cause them big problems.

Still, she eased a bit when he added, 'It might be an all-nighter.'

Vanya raised her brows, 'Admit it, you just like me falling asleep and tugging me to bed.' She only realized what she said once it was out and blamed it on the seriousness of the situation and stress of the moment.

When she caught Five's smirk, however, she knew she was in the clear.

'Well, I won't torment you any longer,' he said and stepped away, and she felt she already missed his presence.

She nodded. They had work to do they needed to find a way around this and help the company and now it wasn't so bad. It wasn't awkward and neither of them mentioned the kiss or acted weird. Maybe it would work out in the end. They would just pretend it never happened and not look back. As long as they could be themselves and joke around one another and just act the same way as before Vanya wouldn't have a problem with that.

She watched as Five stepped to the buttons and pressed one. The elevator moved.

They could definitely work through this-

The elevator stopped and the red emergence light went on _again_.

-not!

'What's that?' she asked and stepped closer to Five, 'What's happening?'

Five pressed the button a couple of more times but nothing happened, 'I think we're stuck.'

'Come again?' she asked her voice raised again.

No. No. No. No. No. NO!

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

They were not stuck in a tiny elevator with limited air hanging several floors up on a tiny robe that could break, and they would fall down into their deaths. No. They were not stuck. They couldn't be. Because of they were Vanya would suddenly feel like she couldn't breathe for real and was sweating and having a panic attack for real because she was never stuck in an elevator for real before, but she was positive she would hate it because ever since she was a child she hated small spaces where she had to be all alone in the dark or in a weird red light which made her think of some sex shop. Why of all the colors they picked a red emergency light?

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

She couldn't breathe for real this time.

He briefly turned to Vanya his face serious which only added to her struggles, 'Don't panic.'

'Don't panic?!' she almost yelped in a voice she didn't even recognize. 'Are you kidding me? Make it work!' she snapped and got in front of him and the buttons noticing he rolled his eyes as she started to furious press buttons. Didn't he understand that they needed to get out? They could die here. They could suffocate or fall down or starve to death. Anything could happen. They were in a small space with nowhere to go, no help, no one around.

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

'That won't work,' Five commented with a sigh, and she shot him a look before she stepped back feeling herself getting hot again.

'This is your fault. Why did you stop it in the first place?' she asked a bit too hysterical and Five turned around raising his hands, 'You know why. Now calm down.'

'No, shut up,' she pressed her hands against her chest was she having trouble breathing. It felt like she did, 'You-did this. Fix it. Call someone. Please!'

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

'Vanya, come on now, calm down. You're only going to scare yourself more,' he said in a very collected and calm voice which made her want to scream.

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

'Screw that!' she turned around away from him trying to focus on something else but the ridiculously small walls moving closer to her which they weren't but in her mind, it felt like they were. It made her breathless and yet panting at the same time. It was horrible. She never felt more scared in her life. Would she faint? She didn't even have water to drink.

She distantly heard Five call someone but couldn't make out the words.

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

Shit, why was that song now running in her head? Was her brain not only trying to choke her but also let her have a nervous breakdown before that?

She got a hold of the buttons on her sweat and started to rip them apart before she got it off and threw it to the ground.

'Hey, hey, hey,' she heard Five right before he took her hand, 'Come here.'

'No, no!' she said desperately as he tried to get into his arms again, 'You will take all my air.'

He gave her a look as a parent would a child, 'You didn't think so before.'

'We weren't stuck for real before,' she said knowing full well it sounded childish, but she didn't care.

'Alright.'

He unbuttoned his suit and put it on the ground before he took her palm, 'Come on, sit with me.'

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

'No, no!' she said shaking her head not being able to think clearly. Maybe she could undress her shirt as well. She would feel better if she did.

Five pulled her closer and got her to the ground, 'It's alright. I called the maintenance. Someone will come soon and get us out, just breathe, okay zayka?'

She shook her head again and tried to get away from him, but he caught her and pressed her back against his chest while he pressed his own against the elevator's wall, 'Come on, Vanya. You will hurt yourself, don't panic. Try to calm down.'

_Walls Come_ _Tumbling Down!_

'No, no, no,' she said on the edge of crying. Everything was so hot and she felt like she was going to faint soon. Her voice sounded off desperate and panting and yet she was lacking air. Right now his embrace was the last thing she needed.

Five's put his hand over her stomach and chest holding her secured against him, 'It's just an elevator.'

'A TINY ELEVATOR!' she whined.

She felt him nodded, 'Alright, a tiny elevator with a vent which means we have plenty of air coming and going,' he moved the hand over her chest and pointed at the vent opposite from them.

'And the elevator has metallic walls so it's not that hot in here. It's actually pretty cold,' he said and as if she was a child who needed to be learned by touching and seeing things, he took her palm and pressed it against the wall behind them.

She closed her eyes, 'I'm gonna faint.'

'Then I will keep you safe until help gets here,' he told her, and she chuckled hysterically, 'It's not funny.'

'I'm not laughing. It's alright. I would be scared too if I was on my own here, but I got you,' he said and brushed her stomach almost tickling her if it didn't shrink to a size of a pea.

She swallowed, 'It's still not funny.'

'Still not laughing,' he replied and started to slowly brush her arms, 'You said you never got stuck before. Is it true?'

She nodded keeping her eyes closed. Not seeing the disgusting red emergency light helped. She wished whoever thought of it to die violently in that moment which just proved how seriously scared she was. This was not alright. This was not how she thought her first meeting with Five would go. And this was definitely not where she wanted to be ever.

'Lucky you then,' he said and Vanya was about to argue before he said, 'I once got stuck with my father, Jenkins and two of his other employees. That was horrible.'

'When was this?' she asked trying to focus on his voice rather than the imagery of being a ping ball in the falling elevator.

'I was seventeen and forced to attend this gala. It was in the hotel's elevator on our way to the event. Worse sixty minutes of my life-'

'An hour? You were stuck for an hour? Oh my god,' she said almost crying by the thought of having to go through this for that long. She was not cut out for this. She should quit. Why couldn't she find a nice job somewhere with only stairs? Somewhere small with only four floors or something.

'Anyway, father dearest decided it was an excellent time to point out all our flaws and mistakes in the presence of the others,' he said and Vanya tried to focus on that on his voice, his story, 'You can image it got a bit awkward in the next five minutes which were left since he made sure to drain it for as long as possible. But if you think he was somehow trying to get our minds out of the situation, I can assure you that was not it. More like he found it productive to use the fifty-five minutes to deal with all of us and not have to do it later,' he said bis voice bitter but not angry. It was sad, but Five was used to it. 'He then he went to give a speech. Real nice one though,' he said, and she couldn't really tell if he was being sarcastic or not with the blood rushing through her ears now.

'We already established he's a dick but just so you fully image the picture,' he said and she felt him brush her hair a bit. His fingers were surprising chilly.

'How is it that you're always so hot and yet your hands are nicely cold?' she asked before she could stop herself still not opening her eyes.

She heard him chuckle.

'Not funny.'

'It's not, it's disturbing,' he said, 'If you're making a vampire reference, I might rethink my decision about you being one of the smartest people I know.'

'One of?' she opened her eyes a bit as she turned to him.

He was smirking, his eyes calm and his face relaxed. How could he be so relaxed when she was such a nervous mess?

Because he was a rational man and knew nothing would happen to them here, unlike her who was constantly scaring herself with the possibilities.

'What you don't like vampires?'

'No, I was once home sick and watched True Blood. I found it was terrible,' he complained, and Vanya frowned, 'It wasn't that bad.'

'It was worse.'

'It had its moments-'

'If you're a single woman in the need to get laid and have some weird biting fetish,' he said and Vanya rolled her eyes, 'Alright. I won't push that. Clearly, men watch different things. Also, I can't believe you were sick and at _home_. I thought you were the type of person who worked through pneumonia.'

'Yeah, I didn't want to leave. Agnes called Grace who called Hazel. Honestly, I didn't even remember how they got me home. I had a really bad fever,' he admitted and brushed her hair a bit while she shook her head wondering if all that touching was even impropriate between just friends, 'You're ridiculous.'

'Says the woman who almost got herself a panic attack-'

'Because we're stuck in an elevator, not because of work,' she cut him off and groaned.

He gave her a look, 'You work over-time three or four times a week. So don't go around all high and mighty throwing the word workaholic around, Ms. Babkin.'

She went to say something else before she stopped herself realizing she was breathing _normally_. She still felt her heart beating faster, but it also could have been from sitting next to Five on his expensive jacket with his arm around her and hand in her hair.

She turned some more to look at him, 'I don't like small spaces.'

'So you were stuck before?' he asked and she focused on a small beauty mark on his cheek, 'Once, but it was a small closet.'

He frowned confused, 'Closet?'

She kept on looking at the mark trying to recall the event, 'My mamochka used to clean up offices in the city. I was young maybe four or five years old, and she had nowhere to leave me so she took me with her. She let me in one of the offices while she went to clean up the other ones. I drew there behind this big desk. I heard someone come and mamochka told me that no one was supposed to know she took me to work, so I went to hide in one of the storage closets on the other side of the table. It was very small,' she spoke to the feeling of Five's fingers stroking her hair.

'A man came and had a phone call. He started shouting. I think a drew over some of his papers. He had my mamochka come in a shouted at her,' she brushed her face with her fingers as if she was brushing away the imaginary tears which must have been more from the stress of being in the elevator more than anything else because it happened over two decades ago, and she honestly didn't even call it until she almost shouted at Five, 'She didn't speak English that well back then so she didn't really understand. I didn't really understand. I was in the closet for a long time after that until the man left and mamochka took me out.'

She finally moved his eyes to his, 'She was fired. Obviously. And now I'm here I am bothering your sanity by my panic attack.'

'You never bother me,' he said almost softly.

His fingers untangled her hair and moved to her cheek softly stroking it. It would be so easy to just lean in a bit and have her lips pressed against his. But she purposely kept her eyes right on his to make sure she wouldn't be tempted to do so. With the intensity he was looking back into her eyes, she was sure he was doing the same thing. She only then started to fully realize just how close and alone they were.

'Was that the only time you got stuck somewhere?' he asked his eyes still on hers making the moment even more charged with something.

She thought back to the bus driver, moments with Jenkins, moments with some of her male colleagues, and boyfriends, 'Hardly, people get stuck with people one way or another all the time. It's the fact that you can't get and that you're with the wrong people that really makes it a terrible experience,' she mumbled feeling his hand paused on her cheek, 'Also the fear of suffocating or falling to your death doesn't help.'

'Neither of those scenarios is probable right now,' he assured her but resumed to touch her cheek with a calm expression. He didn't look annoyed by her outbursts or how she behaved. He tried to reason and distract her not making her feel bad about it.

'Also, the man was an asshole,' he said finally breaking the spell of intense gazes.

She smirked, 'Thanks. But to be fair I don't think my drawing skills were that great.'

Five smiled at that. Not smirk or chuckle, but genuinely smiled which was worse because it was so damn charming she could just get lost in that precious smile. How was this man real?

'I'm sure it was exceptional as is everything else you do, Vanya,' he said, and she started to breath harder again for a completely different reason.

Before she could reply with something to lighten up the situation, they heard some pounding from the other side and then the elevator door started to open.

'Mr. Hargreeves,' said one of the men and both Vanya and her boss quickly stood up taking their clothes with them and putting on trying not to look suspicious.

The janitor and elevator people helped them out Five putting his arm on her back as he walked with her up the stairs.

'This is an exception,' he said as he stopped by her office, 'We're not about to start going twelve floors up the stairs.'

'We?' she raised her brows grateful Helen was already gone, 'Of course, I still drive you more often than not.' It was true. And at least she knew him not driving her had more to do with work and not with their almost kiss apparently.

Vanya smiled and shook her head at him before heading back to her office, 'Vanya.'

She turned back to him making sure to be as far from her office door and possible bugs as possible as he lowered his voice, 'You're not a liability not to your mamochka or me,' he said probably referring to when she said she bothered him, 'You're…the most important person,' he opened and closed his mouth before he finished and looked away looking more like a shy teenage boy than the head of a multi-million company, 'to me.'

He didn't wait to reply or react and rushed out of there before anyone would see him, and Vanya walked inside already feeling her phone signaling her a message about him driving her home later.

He probably assumed she had too much distress today to pull an all-nighter. Still, she had no doubt he would get to her work more tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Thank you for reading and support. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

Vanya cursed the elevator for being so slow as she watched the buttons on the side slowly lighten and fade with every floor. It took her about a week to get over her fear of that metal coffin. The stairs weren't so bad even if she had to wear sneakers inside the office since then.

Ironically in the elevator, she was now running late as she feared the others would already be in Five's office by the time she got there. It was late. Most of the people were already home and Vanya would have as well if Five didn't call her over for a meeting with Ms. Handler. She really didn't want to be late for that. The woman already made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Agnes was probably already on her way home, so Vanya knocked on the door and waited before she heard Five call out for her to come in.

Five was standing by the window looking concerned and frustrated as he turned around to face her. This was the most stressed and upset she saw him since she met him and that included the situation with his father. Vanya could see some of that melted a bit away as he greeted her, but everything about him told her loud and clear how tense he was. It seemed Ms. Handler had that effect on people along with the situation which occurred that required her to be called to deal with it.

'She's-'

'Late,' he finished and crossed his arms looking now more annoyed than anything. He really didn't like the woman, 'The longer you know her the less surprising it will be. She likes to keep people tense and in anticipation for her grand entrance. She's a diva like that,' he said and Vanya detected the same hater she did before which made her wonder why did he hate her so much. He said he didn't like her as a person and the methods she used to deal with situations. Since Vanya assumed the situations were usually company espionage and covering dirt she couldn't imagine anyone handling it without using tricks and questionable tactics.

'Did you manage to catch a few hours of sleep?' asked Five his voice now softer than before and Vanya nodded with a small smile stepping closer to him. She remembered the time they worked in his office both frustrated by work but always joking and teasing one another making the while thing bearable and light in away. Given the new situation with Jenkins and their competitors, it seemed like ages had passed since then.

'You?' she asked carefully, and Five sighed, 'Could use a few more. Can't help it though. I feel like every time I try I just start to think about it all and what to do next and before I know it, it's 2 a.m.'

She dared to make the last step closer and put her hand on his shoulder, 'We'll figure it out. Ms. Handler wouldn't call if she didn't have something for us. We will deal with it, just like we planned.'

Five sighed and put his palm over hers holding it against him for a few moments just looking at her face. It seemed to help him a bit. Vanya once again wondered if she was the only one Five actually let himself relax or be vulnerable with and just how much more of his weight, he would let her carry.

When they finally heard the knock, Vanya's stomach dropped a bit. Seriously, this woman gave her the chills like she was Cruella de Vil or Hitler.

Both Five and Vanya took a step back from one another before the door opened on instinct.

Ms. Handler walked inside without much of an invitation. Once again Vanya had a feeling she met the woman before or at least saw her before their ride in the elevator. She was dressed very stylishly with her hair covered with an elegant hat.

Once she got close, the woman raised her brows at Vanya with an amused look before she looked at Five, 'Ah, good to know you let your second in command in on everything, Mr. Hargreeves.' If it was a tease or insult, Vanya didn't have time to decode as the woman turned her attention back to her, 'Ms. Babkin, how are you, my dear?'

'Good and you?' she asked not sure what to say to her but before Ms. Handler could answer Five cut in, 'Let's not do this game. Just tell me what you already know. I had someone check the office for bugs today again.'

The woman smirked and walked to the couch before she sat down putting her bag aside and undid her coat. When she smirked that way, Vanya again became aware of just how familiar the woman looked, 'Clever.'

'So?' urged her Five again. He really looked like he didn't want to spend any more time in the woman's presence than necessary.

Vanya walked over to a chair opposite from Five's seat and sat down while her boss continued to stand still in front of the woman looking just as annoyed as before. What was the deal with this woman, Vanya could only wonder.

Ms. Handler smiled at her again before she looked over at Five, 'They want to expose something most likely an upcoming deal with the Chinese if I'm not mistaken.'

Five and Vanya shared brief a look. Since they worked around the clock to figure out what got leaked and what could be used against them they come to the conclusion if they really wanted to screw them over that could be the way. So far they were in for a very lucrative deal unless someone outbid them or offered the Chinese something more. Both were worried it would affect their sales for the next year.

'But first,' started Ms. Handler again, 'they want to run a story about a powerful CEO firing and getting his long-time friend and co-founder of the company-'

Five let out an annoyed -tt- before he cut in, 'Jenkins was never either of those things but continue-'

The woman shot him a look, 'I don't like being interrupted as you remember.'

He sighed annoyed and Vanya honestly didn't know what to make out of their relationship.

'Go on,' requested Five.

'As I was saying. Getting him arrested while opening up his position to his _fling_ ,' said Ms. Handler and Vanya closed her eyes thinking she wasn't even that surprised. Of course sooner or later people would jump at that and her life and reputation would be ruined. She knew that. She was worried about it all the time and apparently it was about to happen. She clearly ran out of luck or the karma finally caught onto her.

'That's ridiculous,' said Five, and she glanced at him hoping she didn't give anything away to Ms. Handler who was watching them both no doubt taking it all in. The last thing she wanted was for that woman to recognize Vanya might like Five more than a friend after they just manage to get back on track and deal with their awkwardness from almost kissing more than two weeks before.

Five continued actually standing up for her while she sat there not ready to talk or knowing what to say, 'I made her the CFO because she helped me uncover Jenkin's crimes and actually proved to be smart and trustworthy.'

'Admirable,' commented Ms. Handler dryly before she looked at Vanya, 'Any other talents you have, Ms. Babkin?'

Vanya didn't even try to play it cool and full-on took offense in that question. Yeah, she had _other_ talents. Not that Five would know since they were back to being just friends, and this lady definitely didn't need to hear or guess that.

'So what now? I bury the story? How much?' he asked and Ms. Handler shook her head, 'Not a chance. Too much evidence. They have recordings of your _chats_ which suggest flirting, private detectives snapping pictures of you being all coupley and of course a witness who claims you spent the Christmas together in your house which is harder to get an invitation to then to the Pentagon itself.'

Vanya sighed. Of course, someone was following them and gathering evidence. No wonder it was so quiet until now. It was the quiet before the storm. She feared it would end up this way, and now that all of it caught up with them she wasn't sure what to do or think about anymore. Would it be better if she quit? Stayed and fight? This was exactly the dilemma she feared she would have to deal with when she started to spent time with her boss. Shit. She really should have known better and stopped it before it got out of hands.

Five took a deep breath and touched his forehead thinking or trying to by the looks of it, 'Alright. So what? I will just tell them the truth and say we're friends. I will even show up with someone to cover-'

'You're not listening today, are you?' asked Ms. Handler, 'They have evidence to prove that you are in a not-platonic relationship.'

Five looked away from her to Vanya who tried to offer him some comfort but wasn't sure how.

When she looked back at the other woman she realized she was watching them all the time. No surprise there.

'However, it is not yet determinate if you two are a couple or just friends with benefits,' she said calmly and looked from Five to Vanya to see their reactions as they realized what she meant.

Ms. Handler looked at Five again, 'You need to get ahead of the story. The story will be out on Saturday. Get it published tonight. Have an interview tomorrow morning. I know at least three major people who will jump at a chance of an exclusive interview with you in their morning talk shows. Spin the narrative.'

Vanya blinked confused. Was Ms. Handler seriously suggesting they fake date or had she fallen into a coma caused by shock?

Five crossed his arms, 'What exclusive? That I got a man who was stealing from my company behind bars and gave the position to some more qualified-'

'That you two are dating,' sighed the woman and looked at Vanya, 'That you're in _love_.'

'Excuse me?' asked Vanya said for the first time since Ms. Handler dropped the bomb not even capable of hiding her reaction when the woman said those words. She really said it. She _really_ said _it_.

She smiled at her, 'Dating, seeing each other, an item, a couple, love birds. I am sure there are thousands of cute ways to word it and someone as intelligent as a CFO of this company can come up with at least a handful-'

'Watch it,' snapped Five again, and the woman looked at him, 'You're already defending her. Keep that up for the vultures in the media and they'll buy right into it. Clearly, your whole company thinks you're together. I took a day to gather the rumors that will support it. All their evidence suggests you have a relationship so just go for it. They won't have any scandal if you come clean about it now. It might even win you even some favors. It will soften the impact more than anything.'

'This is insane,' said Five and shook his head frowning at the woman but looking more confused than upset probably processing it all, 'We're not dating. We're friends.'

'Which people don't get or like,' said the other woman and crossed her arms mimicking Five, 'Look, you just handing over a position like that to someone who was barely a few months in the company is from uncharacteristic of you to completely nuts. People will question why. No one will buy that you're friends because straight people of the opposite sex are rarely real friends not to mention no straight man will believe you gave her the position because she's a friend because _they_ wouldn't. So you two having an affair will be a better and more believable option for them to buy, but not for you, your investors, or your public image or the deal with the Chinese. An affair is a scandal even if you're both single and young and are just fooling around it will make you seem incompetent and like you're just into pretty women in pencil skirts thinking with your dick rather than your head. It will make you look like all those idiots everyone makes fun of for sleeping around, and not being able to keep it in their pants not the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the country. Not to mention it will bury Vanya's career and reputation completely,' she looked at her then and Vanya knew she was right. If she ever decided to leave the company and go work somewhere else people will either not hire her because she slept with the boss or hire her because she did thinking they could have a shot with her too. Neither was something she ever wanted to deal with.

Ms. Handler looked at Five again, 'But if you make a thing out of it, they might forgive you. Make a love story that you two just met fell in love and yes, maybe she was given the position just because you cared for her, but it will not be a scandal. It will be a sensation.'

Vanya glanced at Five whose upset face turned to an unreadable one before he said, 'That's ridiculous.' He still didn't look at her though. Throughout the entire Ms. Handler's speech, he remained with his eyes fixed on her not even glance over to Vanya. It made her feel worse. Could he blame her? Maybe a bit? She blamed herself for not stopping it all sooner even if technically wasn't Five the one who pushed her? Always driving her home? Talking to her? Making her push her boundaries? And making her well form a crush on him? Almost kissing her?

'It's a good plan. What you have someone you don't want to make jealous?' asked the woman with a smirk probably already knowing Five didn't have anyone. At least Vanya didn't know about anyone.

'Or you?' she turned to Vanya who just then caught Five sparing her a brief look.

Vanya shook her head still not sure she heard or actually comprehended Ms. Handler's plan because she couldn't actually believe it yet. They just…she just couldn't think or deal with it yet.

'Then I really don't see a problem. If you're just friends fake it for a while and then break up or just say you decided to take some time off. All you need to do is pull it for a couple of months-'

'And then people are supposed to believe we broke up but continued to work together?' asked Five and the woman started to get up, 'You seem to be just looking for problems when I've given you a perfect solution. Why hire me at all if you're not listening to me?'

She took her bag, 'Don't be unwise about this. You have to see the advantages of this.'

Ms. Handler walked closer to Vanya on her way to the door ignoring Five and his glares, 'Think about it. I have a feeling he will listen to you more than to me. You have literally time before the end of Friday.'

Vanya didn't think she ever felt more awkward and uneasy in Five's presence than when Ms. Handler left the office. She stood in front of him in a bra and even when he made fun of her for it before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. She wasn't sure what to say or do with the information the woman just dropped on them.

'Grab your things,' said Five suddenly and turned his back to her walking slowly to the window, 'I'll drive you home.'

Vanya didn't even know how to reply or suggest talking about it at that moment still not sure how to deal with it. Their best way was for them to fake dates for everyone around them? That was just so confusing. She didn't even know how to describe it or explain it or deal with it. And she didn't know what Five thought about it all. He looked upset. He told her that them almost kissing was a mistake. Maybe he really just wanted to be friends and that was a spur of a moment situation he regretted. So now he was even more upset that they were being pushed to do this even all he wanted them to be was friends.

She grabbed her coat and bag and briefly thought about sneaking out, but Five was already waiting for her outside her office, 'Let's go.'

She nodded keeping her mouth shut all the way through the elevator ride and then once they entered the car.

He didn't say anything. Apart from the time he was stressed and after their kiss, they always talked. Especially when they were in the same space together. Not now. Was this what would have happened if they got involved? They were only facing the possibility or rather idea of dating which got them to act like this, and it wouldn't even be real dating.

Vanya licked her lips. This wasn't right. They could talk about anything, and they were in a jam because of her too. Five maybe pushed her to meet up with her, rides home, visiting houses, but she didn't fight it not as much as she could. She didn't want to. She wanted to be friends with him at least. She needed him too.

They needed to deal with it. 'What Ms. Handler said-'

'You don't have to worry about it. Let's…let's just rest and we'll figure something else out tomorrow. We still have a couple of days-'

'We have been trying to figure out something for the last week,' she mumbled and turned in her seat toward him.

'You don't need to worry about it.'

Vanya shook her head, 'How can you ask me not to worry about it?'

'I'm sorry. I know it's my fault-'

'Why are you saying that?' she asked knowing inside he would take the blame. She almost wished he wouldn't. Where was the man she used to think was selfish and a jerk to her?

'You told me from the start not to make it look like we're together that you wanted your reputation to stay protected, and I still didn't keep it that way-'

'It's not that,' she cut him off and looked at him, 'I mean, yes, it obviously it's the reason why now have to deal with it, but I'm over that,' she said not sure if she was, but she wanted to talk about with him, and seeing him blaming himself was a trigger for her apparently to say and do anything to comfort him.

'Now, I just want to work through this in a way that won't ruin the reputation of the company or blow us up. I just…I don't want you to do anything which would make you uncomfortable,' she said thinking about how upset he was about the fake dating, 'Maybe…if-if I quit?'

He hit the breaks so abruptly Vanya almost fell over if it wasn't for the seatbelt.

'Or not,' she mumbled looking at the red light in front of them and then at him as he turned around to face her, 'How can you say you don't want me to do anything uncomfortable and then suggest quitting. You…,' he looked in front of him and took a deep breath, 'The whole reason why I don't want to put you through all of this is to make sure you stay and be as protected as possible and you tell me you will quit.'

The green light went on.

'It's a suggestion,' she said softly.

'Well, not a good one,' he replied still tense, and it was a bit heart-warming that he didn't even consider her quitting before she pushed herself back on the subject. 'I just want to fix this mess.'

'Believe me, Vanya, I want to as well, but I don't want to pressure you into something just because Ms. Handler,' he said his jaw clenched and Vanya wondered if he really wasn't dismissing the idea so much before the woman he hated suggested it. She wondered if it really was just his dislike of her methods that made him hate her in the first place. It felt a bit too personal to be just that.

Vanya looked down at her hands and thought about it. If their competitors were really planning to run a story on them and make Five, her and the company look bad it would be a good way to change the narrative and save their faces.

She sighed. If they went through with it, she would have to call her mamochka and explain it to her. That was probably the only part she really didn't look forward to. The whole fake dating wasn't something she would choose as her first option or even an option she would think-up or considered on her own, but it wouldn't change anything. She didn't think Five and she had to act like teenagers. If everyone assumed they were together based on their friendly exchanged it would be enough to continue to lie, right? Like Ms. Handler said, she wasn't dating anyone who would get jealous, and she would rather be thought of Five's girlfriend than a mistress or anything worse they might call her.

'I think we should do it,' she said looking over at him with the little courage she had left.

Five kept his eyes on the road, but Vanya could tell he was thinking and overthinking something, not even his cool and unphased expression able to hide it, 'I don't want us to go through that.'

'Oh,' she let out before she could stop herself. Right. What was she thinking? She didn't even consider if he wanted to. He was clear about what he wanted their relationship to be like and this would only create more tension. He was right. They should just sit down and try to think up another solution tomorrow.

'Thank you,' she mumbled as he paused by her building not even looking at her as she got out of the car. Maybe they just needed to sleep on it. It already sounded like a bad idea.

* * *

Vanya didn't know what to do when she was home. It was embarrassing that she said they should do it, wasn't it? She felt like she shouldn't have been so on board about it. Maybe it was just because she read and watched too many TV shows and some fangirl part of her thought if they fake dated-

_OH, HELL NO!_

She was not that desperate. She reminded herself she was fine, and liking Five was just a crush, and she was more than happy just to be his friend and that she was a strong independent woman who didn't act like a lovesick teenager. Expect she had many reasons to say otherwise given her strange behavior ever since she met Five.

She angrily undid the watch he gave her a present and set it on the nightstand before she changed into her comfy pink pajamas and went to brush her teeth in the bathroom looking at her reflection, 'You're being ridiculous even more than usual.'

When she heard her phone ring, she frowned at it and then let out an annoyed sigh when she saw Five's name over the screen. She checked her clock. It wasn't even 8 P.M so it wasn't even too late.

Vanya looked down at her pajama and back at the phone before she answered, 'Hello?'

There was some noise and then a loud sound like something dropped nearby, 'Hello? Five?'

Some more commotion and then she finally heard something which sounded like _buzz me in_.

She looked at the phone and then at her door before she slowly walked toward it and stopped.

'Five?'

'Can you let me in, please?' he asked, and she felt confused but still a bit better knowing at least he spoke, so she knew it really was him. She read and watched too many thrillers and horrors to be that naïve.

She opened the door but kept the chain on, waiting what would happen next. She wondered if Five even knew what floor she lived on, but maybe she mentioned it before. It took him almost ten minutes which was even more strange and when he paused by her door he was missing his usual straight and collective posture she always associated with him. He seemed to be swinging a bit or stepping from one foot to another like the last time he came close to her apartment when he was nervous. Now it was different however even less coordinated…

It took her a moment to figure out why. Vanya abruptly closed the door in his face before she undid the chain, opened the door and crossed her arms already knowing the truth just by looking at him standing outside of her apartment, 'Please tell me you're not seriously drunk right now.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Thank you for reading and the support. It means a lot. I hope everyone is okay and that it will get better for everyone soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Vanya tried to understand or comprehend what was exactly was currently happening. She went to work this morning. She found out their competitors wanted to sink her and Five and the company by saying they have an affair. Ms. Handler suggested they fake date. She agreed. Five disagreed. He drove her home. All of that made sort of sense or at least Vanya understood.

But Five coming over to her place a few hours later drunk was something she hadn't yet had the time to process.

She stepped away from the door and hurried him inside. The last thing she wanted, or they needed were nosy neighbors catching a drunk man, her boss from all the people, in front of her door on a weekday. Seriously, she used to have so much more boring life before she started to work for him.

'Why are you drunk? And why are you here?' she asked shaking her head immediately closing and locking the door once she had him inside. What was it with him? He told her he didn't want them to fake date and they should figure out another way to handle the situation and then crashed at her place drunk? She honestly never met someone she understood so well and so little at the same time.

Five didn't say anything just pressed his side against the wall in her hallway and stared somewhere into her tiny apartment.

She crossed her arms. Why did he always show up when she was in her fluffy pajamas and braless?

She walked around him trying to see if she had any mess or junk laying around or something. She didn't, but she still didn't feel that great about Five being here now in this hour when she didn't have several hours upfront to prepare, clean, and stress about his arrival. Drunk or not it was definitely not okay from him to just show up at her place like this.

As she stood in front of him she noticed how his eyes even if a bit unfocused were all over the place checking every room and piece of furniture around they could reach taking it all in. It made her feel self-aware and wonder what he could come across.

When all of the sudden his green eyes fall back on her, Vanya blinked not sure what to do or say other than uncross her arms forgetting about her lack of bra.

Five then put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her a bit further inside in his wobbly walk which for a moment made Vanya startled he would fall down at her, and she definitely wouldn't be able to catch him and end up on the ground as well.

His eyes were still on her face, and Vanya had about fifty and more ideas on what he was thinking and what he would say, but the thing he actually said was not one of it, 'Your apartment is tiny.'

She blinked at that surprised by the comment then again drunk people could be unpredictable which she should expect given his out of the blue visit.

'Well, yeah…I told you it was,' she said not sure what else to say to that. Did he even want an answer? Maybe it was just something that crossed his mind. But why did he come here? To see just how tiny her apartment was?

His eyes shifted to her living room while his hands still kept her in place. Maybe he needed to keep his hands there to support himself.

When he looked back at her he beamed a bit goofily, but still very adorably and said, ' _You're_ so tiny.'

Maybe she should have been offended a bit by the comment, and maybe she would have if his smile wasn't so damn adorable and boyish. Was this his real smile? She caught glimpses of it before and it was charming, but this was different. This made her want to pat his head like a good boy.

_Oh, why did he had to be so handsome looking? Even his smile. I mean come on!_

'They didn't pull my ears enough when I was a kid,' she said, and he chuckled slightly before he suddenly pulled her against his chest a bit too harshly and lowered his face against her hair.

'You smell nice. You always smell so nice,' his speech was a bit slurred, but she could still make out most of it.

She blushed at that hiding her face and shock against his chest. She almost replied he smelled nice too which was an understatement because he smelled _amazing_ , but held it in. He probably wouldn't even hear her or care in his current state.

After he held her for a while she patted his back, 'Why are you here? What happened? You don't usually drink like this.'

He took a deep breath probably taking in more of her shampoo smell and leaned away. His hands went to her face and for a second she thought he would kiss her before he said, 'You're the most amazing person I knew. The best-the bestest-no that's not a word.'

She chuckled, and lightly brushed his back, 'Maybe you just need to rest a bit if you're not up for talking, hm?'

'No, we need to talk because you're upset,' he said suddenly sounding very serious-well drunk serious, but still serious enough.

She shook her head and tried to give him an encouraging smile, 'I'm not upset. I'm just surprised you're here.'

He shook his head and stroke her cheek. She hoped he was drunk enough not to notice the blush which was definitely painted over her cheeks now. Why did drunk people need to be so close to your face when talking? It made it hard for Vanya not to assume he could just move a few inches closer and break the distance between them completely.

'No, in the car…I didn't say it right. I-you make it so impossibly hard to think sometimes almost all the time. And I try-I really really try to not to hurt you and I always feel like I do. Like I say something wrong-and you get upset, and I want to apologize but I can't- because I'm an asshole.'

She had half the mind to giggle at that point, not at his words, but at the life or death seriousness, he tried to talk to her yet failed completely.

'It's alright. I'm not upset-'

'You are. I can tell, and I don't want you to be upset or think I don't want you because-,' he shook his head, 'You're amazing, and I think that if I had you I would die because I was taught by everyone I needed to earn anything good and worth it, and I know I could never earn someone like you-you. I didn't say I don't want to fake a relationship because I wouldn't want to because I think there's something wrong with you or anything. I would take you in a heartbeat,' he said, and Vanya blinked not sure if she could trust his words and what he really meant by them in his current intoxicated state.

He brushed her cheek very delicately, 'But you have a life and a mamochka, Zayka and I really-really don't want her to go through that, or you and I…I don't like fake things.'

He frowned suddenly and then closed his eyes letting out an annoyed sound, 'Fuck. This isn't coming out right. I'm messing it up again.'

She bit her lower lip thinking about how to agree with him without upsetting him more.

Then suddenly he opened his eyes looked down at her face with a different expression, 'Don't do that.'

She was about to ask what when his thumb moved to her lip and forced her mouth to open so she stopped biting her lip.

His eyes were still on her face the goofiness and panic from before gone as he whispered, 'Don't do that.'

It went straight to her core, and she blinked but didn't lean away or tell him to stop. When did she start allowing him to hold her and touch her so much? When she first realized she was attracted to him? When he pressed her against his desk and fixed her shoe? That was the first time she felt this spark that was running through her body even now.

Vanya swallowed a bit and tried to gain some common sense. He was drunk. This wasn't the way he would act otherwise, and whatever was going through his mind was even more of a mystery to her than usual. She was the one who wasn't drunk so she had to think clearly and make the right choices.

She moved her hands against his chest and pushed him a bit away taking a step back herself, 'Alright. I'm not upset anymore. You want to protect my mamochka, and I get that. You had a lot to drink, I'm guessing, so I don't think it's the time to discuss such important things right now.'

His expression changed. He looked upset again, 'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have to come. This-you. I'm making it worse.'

She shook her hand and held onto his jacket as he tried to break free probably to rush to the door, 'It's fine. I'm not upset. How about you lie down for a bit? We can get up early and if you're not completely hungover talk about everything?'

He shook his head and took a step closer to her again still touching her, 'You're too good for me.'

She barked out a laugh, 'Right.'

'You are…I'll never be good enough for you,' he said the upset expression was replaced with a sad one.

He brushed her neck looking the saddest Vanya ever saw him, 'I'm gonna hurt you. I'm gonna mess everything up and hurt you, and you will hate me and leave me and….the way everyone does.'

She blinked shocked by his words and not in a good way. Her fingers dug deeper into his jacket, 'Why would you say that? Five, you're important to me. I would…I can't imagine you ever doing anything which would make me want to leave. Let's just rest a bit and figure this out in the morning, alright?'

He watched her for a moment looking so sad Vanya didn't know what to do or how to make this gloomy drunk mood fade away, 'Please.'

He nodded and let her drag him to her bedroom. Whenever she allowed herself to fantasied about doing something like that it was definitely not with him drunk and sad and her in her fluffy pink pajamas.

She sat him down on the bed, 'I'm gonna get you some water.'

When she came back with a cup, he barely finished getting off his jacket and she sighed mentally cursing her luck since _of course, she was the one who would undress him_.

She got in front of him reminding herself he was drunk, and she would only go for the tie and maybe shirt if he had an undershirt. She moved quickly undoing the tie and then unbuttoning his shirt and then took all of them setting them nicely against the back of her couch.

'How are you so amazing?' he asked looking up at her as she came back.

Vanya grimaced, 'I have my moments.'

He shook his head, 'You're always good and amazing to me. Always so…you.'

She went to pat his shoulder again when all of a sudden he snatched her wrist with his own and brought her fingers against his lips kissing them, 'So good. It's why I like you so much. Why I want you so much…do you understand?'

She shivered a bit but tried to smile anyway to hid what she felt in that moment, 'You're pretty good to me too, Five. Even if you don't think so.'

She let her free hand brush his hair away from his face even sitting on the bed he was slightly taller than her, but not as much. It was always nice to see his face closer almost at the same level. She was always shorter than most of the people around her, but with Five it was very eye-catching. Tall people usually made her feel a bit trapped if they tower over her for too long, but Five made her feel safe when he held her in the elevator or hugged her on her stairs. It brought a very nice feeling of warmth to her.

Once again she stepped away from him and urged him to lay down, but he pushed her a bit away and started to undo his pants. She quickly turned around and rushed to turn off the lights.

'Scared?' he asked a bit amused and shook her head peeking back at him. She could make the shape boxers in the shadows so she quickly averted her eyes and went to the bed taking a pillow, 'You can have the bed.'

She pushed him down onto the sheets and then pulled her covers over him, 'I put a glass of water on the nightstand. If you need me to shout.'

He grabbed her hand on her way, 'Why can't you stay?'

'Because you're drunk,' she said pushing him back because she didn't know if she could handle it.

'I'm scared too,' he said and Vanya could see even in the dark that he closed his eyes.

'I'm not scared,' she argued quickly into the dark and watched as his lips formed a smirk on his face, 'Liar.' She wasn't sure if he meant sleeping in the bed with him because he was drunk and could do something to her, or their relationships or something else, but she took a deep breath and pulled his fingers away from her wrist before she rushed to the living room.

Her heart was humming against her chest like an upset little bird, and she knew she would have a very hard time falling asleep that night.

Why did he come? And what was he trying to say with all the nonsense? Did he like her? He said so. He said he wanted her and liked her so it had to be the truth, right? Did he really like her and thought he didn't deserve her or something? Did he only try to not cause her problems with mamochka? She had so many questions and the fountain of truth in the form of alcohol didn't seem to really answer any all that much.

Vanya must have been laying on the couch for maybe an hour when she heard her bed crack and the footsteps coming into her living room.

She waited with her eyes opened until Five didn't appear in front of her couch looking down at her.

'I'm awake,' she whispered not sure why and watched as he started to lean down, and before she knew it, he had his head pressed against her chest and his chest against her side and waists on her small couch. It would be quite funny some other time to see his long legs stick out of the thing, but at that moment Vanya once again found herself feeling the familiar warmth she usually did in the security of arms even if not she was the one holding him close.

She remembered the first time she came to his house with him being freaked out about his father and wondering how long or if ever was it that someone just held Five close, just cradle him in their arms, and made him give it all up, all the stress and thoughts, and worries, just for a moment just so he could take a deep breath for once and relax and not think about anything.

'I'm sorry about everything,' he whispered into the dark. It sounded better, more coordinated than the messy speech before.

'It's alright,' she let her fingers tangle into his hair. It wasn't as clean as it usually was, but she didn't mind holding him closer wondering if his mother, the one he never seemed to talk about, ever held him like that. She doubted his father ever did, maybe a nanny or maid? Once again, she found it so very sad.

'Why did you get drunk?' she asked softly as if not to wake someone even though no one was around.

Five sighed his whole body warm against hers this close, 'Because of you and Handler, and the whole mess, but also because of me, and how much frustrating it is not to be able to do and say what I want to you when I'm sober and overthink things like a madman.'

This surprised Vanya again. Was he talking about them and what has been going on between them? Because there was something. If there wasn't they wouldn't be in this mess, they wouldn't have an almost-kiss in the car, and this electric tension between them whenever they ended up in close proximity facing one another. It was something. There was something between them, and he scratched it earlier when he tried to talk to her in the corridor but was he really going to talk about it now? Finally, after all this time?

'I like being close to you,' he whispered again like a secret which in the darkness of her apartment definitely felt like one, and so she also confessed, 'Me too.'

'I'm so tired sometimes,' he sighed, 'Like I just want to get home, fall on the bed, and never get up. Then you come around, and I get to hold you, and I feel I can get a few more hours done.'

She smiled softly, 'I sometimes have this thought, that I would force you to take a cat nap on the couch in your office. Not for too long, but for a while when you look like a walking zombie.'

He chuckled, 'Yeah, I feel like one sometimes.'

There was a pause their voices going silent for a moment before he spoke again, 'I missed you after Christmas. I want to write to you, but…I didn't know what to say, and the things I should have said weren't the ones I wanted to.'

She bit her lip. He was still drunk. It wouldn't be right to ask him. If Five wanted to tell her something he should do so when he was in his clean sane mind, not like this.

And yet…

'What did you want to say?' she breathed out into the dark.

'That seeing you in the restroom just in your bra made me smile for the first time in months maybe years,' he said and Vanya was too surprised to be upset he mentioned the incident again even when he chuckled to himself, 'Agnes and the others thought I went mad, but really…I couldn't help it, and not because of some pervy reason just…you being there and the situation…and then I wanted to tell you that I teased you because I liked how upset you were. You always blushed and tried to look away. It was cute. It made my day when I caught you in the elevator. I later felt bad for treating you that way and causing you to be so upset the more I got to know you, but I still like doing it from time to time.'

She let his hair curl around her index finger. He needed a haircut soon.

'That I was excited for the first time since I was a kid when you were supposed to come for Christmas,' he said, and it got her to smile at the thought of making him that happy, 'That I wanted to kiss you in the car.'

She felt her exhale got lost in her throat as she tried not to breathe to hear what he would say next.

'I wanted to kiss you for a while but in the car, I really would have if we weren't interrupted,' he confessed, and she closed her eyes listening to the sound of his voice so gentle in the dark while he pressed his cheek against her chest.

'I don't know if it would have been a good idea…probably not but I really would have,' he said and pushed himself firmer against her.

She shouldn't ask. She shouldn't push it. She should want until he was himself to talk about this if she even wanted to talk about it, 'Do you still want to-'

'Always,' he chuckled again a bit quietly maybe he would fall asleep soon, 'I always think about kissing you and what would be like before I remember how much of a bad idea it would be, and then once again think about how much I want to and how good it would feel because…how could it not when I think about you so much and want to hold you so much and just being close to you makes me feel almost too much at times. And whenever it becomes too much, and I think I will just grab and kiss you, I scare myself again with how badly it could end and everything which could happen to ruin it, us, what we have now.'

_Why?_

She opened her eyes. She knew why. Because it would change everything. It might work or not and if not they wouldn't be friends anymore or co-workers, or anything. She knew this. She battled with this ever time she thought about it, them, and the what-ifs.

'I would never leave you. Whatever we ended up being, I wouldn't leave you,' she said with more confidence she ever felt and realized she meant it. Even if they were friends, or they broke up because of one of the millionths of reasons they shouldn't be together, Vanya liked him too much to just let him go. She would stay, even if they went back to being friends.

'No one ever promised that to me,' he said, and she leaned down to plant a kiss against his hair, 'Didn't you say once no one is like me?'

He was quiet for a moment and then she felt him shift a bit to look at her, 'Do you want me to kiss you? Not now, but in general?'

She nodded. It was easier in the dark, 'Yeah. I want to for a while now even before Christmas.'

'I almost wish you wouldn't say that. It's going to be impossible to be around you now knowing you want me too,' he said with a little groan.

She tugged at his hair, 'Does it have to be like that?'

'How could it not? What about your mamochka? Your reputation. You didn't want to be labeled as someone who got the job through having a relationship with the boss and yet here we are-'

'It's not your fault.'

'I should have protected you.'

'I could have stopped it, but I didn't want to. I like you, I like spending time with you,' she confessed, and then bit her lip, 'I'm just worried about how it will affect you and-'

'I don't care,' he mumbled, and she smiled, 'Sure you do-'

'No,' he disagreed stubbornly, 'I should care, and I thought I'm the type of person who would, but I don't. Not when it came to you,' he admitted and brushed her side lightly, 'My father doesn't know what year is it half of the time and the time he does his opinion on this means little to me. Everyone else can shove it for all I care. I only care about how it will affect you and your feelings. I don't want you to get hurt. I never want that,' he said his voice going tender.

'I know,' she whispered and thought about it all. If Five really felt that way about her and didn't care about himself just how it would affect her mamochka and her feelings…what else was there holding them back but themselves?

After a while, the time passed for her to ask the question anyway as she felt Five's breathing slowed down and he dozed off. She carefully untangled her fingers from his hair but continued to hold him close thinking about everything and trying to find some sense in all of it. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Vanya was right about that since at one point Five woke up and threw up on her couch. Well, she would rather he didn't, but it was better on the couch than on the bed where they eventually had to end up. She still put a wall of pillows between them just in case. It was a very revealing night, and she wasn't sure what would she do if more things came out.

She worked quietly on breakfast and coffee already determined that she would let Five sleep in, the company be damned for one day. She figured she would take his phone and just lock him inside with a note if he didn't wake up.

Her mamochka's phone call surprised her, but she picked up anyway lowering her voice not to cause Five to wake up. She wanted to ask her something about her bank because someone called the other day and she forgot about it before.

'So how is work?' asked Vanya's mamochka once she was done with her questions, on the other end of the phone no doubt while looking at her favorite TV show which must have been on mute since she was on the phone. That was the millionth dollar question how was work?

'Work is good…eventful,' said the twenty-nine-year-old woman while peeking into her bedroom at the man sleeping off his hangover. If her mother knew she had a man sleeping in her bed like this, her _boss_ of all the people, she would surely give the poor fifty-year-old woman a heart attack. Not that she was planning to mention it. She wasn't even sure she would be able to explain everything which led to this point, so she wouldn't try.

'Oh, that's nice, honey,' said the woman, and Vanya couldn't help but grimaced sarcastically eyeing the man's sleepy face. Even though she witnesses him vomit, which yes, she will admit was disgusting a bit. He was still the most handsome man she ever met in real life. Strange for sure, a bit arrogant at times, coldblooded or hotheaded depending on the situation, handsome as hell and total gentleman if he wanted to be.

_'_ Yeah, mamochka, real nice,' she agreed smiling a tiny bit despite herself before leaving him to sleep up his hangover. He deserved it. He needed to rest, and then they needed to talk.

She closed her eyes and hid a bit behind the counter to think better, 'Mamochka there's something I wanted to tell you.'

'Oh? What is it katyonak? Did something happen?' asked the older woman, 'You were more stressed lately. I could tell something was bothering you.'

Vanya smiled. Of course, she could tell. She was her mamochka. She could sense Vanya was keeping things from her even when she didn't say so.

'I'm dating my boss,' she said in a quick breath before she would lose the nerve completely. While Five's soft snorting and breathing was filling the silent last night, Vanya started to think, and when she started she couldn't stop until exhaustion took the best of her and she fell asleep as well, and then Five threw up.

Anyway, she thought about it and realized that Ms. Handler was right, they needed to avoid a scandal of having an affair. Five didn't want to upset her mamochka so she figured she would just tell her now and just tell him she already dealt with it, and as for him not wanting a fake relationship, she already had an idea she would talk to him about once she came back from work.

There was a momentary silence that felt ages long in Vanya's mind before she heard her mamochka said, 'The same boss you wanted to bring for Christmas but then canceled?'

Vanya really should have kept that to herself, 'Yes.'

'Is he handsome?' she asked, and Vanya smiled a bit before peaking at Five inside her bed, 'Yes, very.'

'Is he a good man?'

'He doesn't think he is, but he is,' she said smiling, even more, she already felt oddly light just talking about it. Over the course of the few weeks since their almost kiss and finding out about Jenkins and the espionage, she for the first time felt really relaxed and contented.

'People who are good never think they are good,' said her mamochka wisely, 'that's the whole point.'

Vanya nodded and sighed, 'People might say bad things now though. We need to make it public so it won't be so bad.'

Her mamochka chuckled, 'People always find bad things to say, katyonak. As long as you're happy it doesn't really matter what people think. But it's not going to be easy, you know? It's always hard when other people get in the mix of what should be only between two people.'

Vanya nodded, 'I know, mamochka.' She hoped she was strong enough to handle it though.

'It's your decision, and I will support it, if you really like him and care about him and he feels the same way, you should be with him,' said the other woman, and she closed her eyes and nodded. She was endlessly grateful the woman whose opinion she cherished the most was on board with it or else should didn't know what would she had done, 'Thank you, mamochka.'

'Just make sure to invite him for dinner soon,' said the older woman, and Vanya chuckled, 'And that he likes Russian kitchen.'

Vanya smirked, 'Oh, he does. I already know that one.'

They ended the call shortly after that, and she rushed to get ready for work putting the breakfast on the table for him whenever he would wake up. She got her mamochka's approval now she only needed Five's.

* * *

Vanya put on her clothes and walked out of the bathroom and found Five sitting on her bed with his head in his hands. So much for sleeping in until lunch. Well, it didn't matter she already had a plan.

He might want to loosen up on drinking so much next time.

'Shit,' he said when he looked at her, 'Not a dream then.'

She grimaced but tried to push the smile back to save him from more embarrassment, 'Yeah well it would be more of a nightmare.' okay she was going to force him to re-live some of it at least.

He sighed and looked at her, 'I came here unannounced, and you tugged me to bed. And then I threw up on your couch.'

'Yes,' she nodded confirming it even if she wasn't sure it was a question. She hoped he wouldn't try to act like he didn't remember anything. With how much they talked, she was sure he had to remember some of it.

Five fell back to the bed and sighing again, 'And you tugged me to the bed again.'

She chuckled before nodding, 'Yes, but you were absolutely polite and a gentleman about it.'

He made a grimace, and she could actually feel his embarrassment and horror of the whole situation before he looked at her again,

'I need to go.'

She rushed to him before he could sit or stand up, 'No, you need a day off. Today. You're still hungover and clearly need more sleep. You said you were tired, and you are. I was biting my tongue for too long with it. You need a day off.'

He shook his head and sat up but didn't go further as Vanya's hands were instantly on his shoulders keeping him in place, 'I can't stay in here today. Not with everything going around. Where is my phone?'

'Secured,' she said and showed it to him before hiding it in the pocket of her coat away from his reaching hand.

'No work today. Stay here and sleep. I will call my home line if it is urgent,' she told him trying to give him her best _I mean it_ look her mamochka gave her whenever she tried to go to school when she was sick.

'You can't be serious,' he mumbled but made no movement to get up showing just how dead on the feet he was. He needed this, and so did she. She wouldn't feel good about today, if he went to work not after the night he had and with what she planned to do.

'Like a heart attack,' she replied and her free hand brushed the hair away from his forehead, 'Stay today. Sleep. I made breakfast for when you wake up.'

She smiled at him softly and watched as all the resistance he had left in him slowly faded away, 'Just for today.'

'It's all I'm asking for,' she replied.

'If you're not back by 4 p.m I will leave,' he added, and she laughed a bit, 'Well, it would be a first time for everything. My boss is kind of a hardass.'

He chuckled and shook his head, 'Will you leave me the keys?'

'Not a chance,' she said and then leaned down before she could change her mind and pressed a soft kiss against his forehead feeling him froze for a second before she felt his arms around her reminding her of how he held onto her last night.

'Stay,' he mumbled, and she sighed pressing another kiss against his hairline, 'I won't be long, I need to do something.'

'What?' he asked slowly looking up at her suspicious, 'I'll tell you when I get back.'

'I hope you're not planning to go to Jenkins,' he said with a warning, and she shook her head, 'No, just Ms. Handler.'

'Wait, what?' he asked as she untangled herself away from him before he would keep her in place, 'I'm going to be late. Gotta go. I asked Hazel to pick me up. I hope it's okay.'

'Why are you going to see Handler?' tried Five again, but she quickly raised her hand, 'Relax. I'm just going to tell her we're doing the interview, and come out as a couple.'

'Wait, what? When did we decide this?' he asked standing up as Vanya started to rush to the door. She wanted to get it done as fast as possible, she wasn't looking forward to meeting the woman alone any less than apparently, Five was.

'Well, I did last night after you said you always want to kiss me,' she said as a matter of fact knowing it would throw him off enough to stop him from walking which would buy her time to get to the door, 'And you will after you think about the fact that I already called my mamochka and told her and that we don't have to fake it.'

Five watched her standing still looking as pale as she ever has seen him. She probably never shocked him as much as she did now and she was including the time he saw her in her bra in the men's restroom. He looked cute with his hair a mess from sleeping in and his undershirt and boxers. Very cute and a bit hot.

'You…you told your mamochka?' he asked, and she smiled at him brightly _really_ enjoying the stunned and confused look on his face. It felt good to be the one in control and have him like this.

'I did. She's very happy for me, and you,' she said, 'Last night you said those were the main issues you had with us _trying_ to be together. I'm going to completely ignore what you said about you not being good enough or deserve me,' she told him as a matter of fact taking great pleasure in how lost he looked.

'You…?'

'And I don't care what anyone will say…because they will definitely find something to say either way. So unless you're embarrassed or have any objections about me being poorer than you and from a different-'

'NO! That…I know that makes me sound like a jerk who has money, but I never cared about that, and I don't. I just…just care about you,' he said, and it felt really good to hear it now in the daylight when he was only hungover but not drunk.

She beamed, 'Good. See you later.'

He opened his mouth to tell her something else, but she didn't give him time as with how adorably lost he looked and his hair a mess, she might decide to stay a bit longer which wouldn't do if she wanted to meet Ms. Handler on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Thank you for all the support :) I am glad so many people still read and like the story. Hopefully, I will manage to write the next chapter soon. I also hope you and your loved ones are alright. Have a nice day.


	9. Chapter 9

'I knew you would manage to knock some sense into him,' said Ms. Handler after her polite greeting again ten minutes later than they agreed upon. Apparently, Five was right and the woman enjoyed to be the center of attention by coming late and making sure everyone was looking at her.

In all honesty, Vanya didn't get it. She would rather come an hour earlier just to make sure she wouldn't be stared at too much. Some insecurities were hard to overcome.

Helen walked her into Vanya's office as she didn't want them to meet in Five's when he wasn't here. She hoped he would keep to his word and her plan and stayed inside today and rest. He needed it, and it was buying her some time not to have to deal with their relationship. They didn't really say what they were just that they liked one another. Were they dating? Was she his girlfriend? She felt ridiculously old whenever she thought of that word.

'It's for the best,' she nodded, and the woman again smirked in that way which made Vanya's neck hair stand up. It was so familiar for some reason which made it even more disturbing. Vanya couldn't figure out why though. 'And unavoidable since sooner or later you two will definitely be an item.'

Vanya didn't comment on it, but she had a feeling she didn't need to as the woman looked very sure of herself and no matter how much she would try to deny it, she wouldn't buy it. It made her wonder just how many people could see it, see through them, and tell there was something going on between them. Quite a lot of people seemed to by now.

The woman nodded and pulled out her phone, 'We can schedule an interview tomorrow morning. I will send you a list of questions the interviewer will definitely ask so you will be ahead of it. You should go over them and prepare your answers, so you won't look surprised. We can meet before for a practice run. I will keep it under cover until then so they won't try to set the bomb off sooner.'

Vanya nodded, 'Sounds good.'

Ms. Handler finished whatever she was typing and looked up at her, 'For what it's worth. I think you can make it work. It's obvious he's head over hills for you, and you're a terrible liar, my dear.'

She tried to take it as a compliment and not to blush at what she said about Five. She doubted she succeeded.

'It's good. For the press, but also…for you two,' said the woman hesitated with the sentence which puzzled Vanya. Ms. Handler always looked so confident and sure of herself not being like that now was a very strange look on her.

'Thank you?' it shouldn't have sounded like a question, but Vanya didn't know what to make of it. The woman still made her a bit worried.

Ms. Handler nodded and said her goodbye. As she walked away Vanya noted she once again stood up straight and tall more confident than any other person she ever met. It made her wonder what was it all about a minute ago before she tried to go on with her work.

* * *

After her meeting with Ms. Handler the day went by rather quickly, but that was probably her excitement and impatience about coming home to Five. She tried not to show it though.

But given the look she earned from Allison, Ben and some people in the passing found it unlikely she did. Maybe not exactly everything, but it was pretty clear they were on to something.

Five's phone was on constant alert about one thing or another which she either worked through, saved for another day, or ignored completely wondering just how much Five put on his plate even though he didn't have to. He was such a workaholic. Then she realized she was the one to talk.

Once it was finally time to leave, she rushed home before she would get tangled in another web of work and tasks she could do tomorrow, but probably would convince herself to do today because she was a workaholic.

When she got to her apartment, Vanya tried not to look too surprised or relieved that Five was still there.

'Hi-you're cooking?' she asked not able to hide her surprised over seeing Five standing in her kitchen next to her stove which was on and a towel over his shoulder. She wondered if she should be worried about how incredibly _hot_ she found it. It helped to take some of the edge out of the situation. After last night she could run away to work and buy herself some time to think and step away from the situation, she hoped wouldn't turn out to be too awkward. She was excited to come back home, but a part of her was worried about it all and what would happen next. This was new territory for them. They didn't even talk about anything. She just basically decided it all for them, but they didn't really discuss it the way they should. She couldn't even remember the time she was on such odd grounds in a relationship, but then again everything felt new and different with Five. Working together, becoming friends, _this_.

'Trying and failing apparently,' he replied to her original question not looking up as she set aside her bag and coat. Moving to pass the hot scene in front of her she focused on what he was doing and rushed over to help him.

'You went grocery shopping?' she asked briefly pausing to think about their current proximity in front of her not so big kitchen counter.

He moved around her to take something from her top-shelf. She wondered if he purposely put one of his hands on her back while he reached for it. It might have been just her brain creating fake scenarios, but it felt like his hand linger on her back a bit longer causing it to feel cold when he took it away.

She would need a chair to get to on her own. Ha. It didn't really occur to her he might go around her shelves and drawers looking at her things. Not that she had any secrets or inappropriate things around, but still, the idea was a bit unnerving now.

'I called Hazel from your landline He brought me some and bribed your landlord to open your door and give us a spare key,' he said calmly as Vanya paused and widened her eyes at what he said.

He looked down at her, 'By the way, I think you should move to a better-secured location or at least get better safer doors and bars on the windows.'

She chuckled a bit nervously before she realized he wasn't joking, 'You can't be serious.'

'I take your safety very seriously,' he said and continued to work glancing at her in a way, which made her want to blush, step away or kiss him.

She decided to smile instead in that moment not feeling brave enough to do it so suddenly.

Vanya went to clean up a bit and then sit down by the counter where Five set a glass of wine for her. She was relieved he did because her stomach was a bit of a mess. Everything was so _domestic_ and _normal_ , it was almost unsettling. Should they talk more about it all? So far they stuck to chit chat and things which didn't involve what happened last night or how to carry on from it.

After a while Five brought a spoon to her, 'Taste it?'

'It's good,' she said all too quickly after the first bite, and Five sighed disappointed and a bit frustrated, 'So it sucks.'

Vanya chuckled and shook her head at how adorably frustrated he looked like a little boy failing a math problem. It was cute and amusing.

She got out of her seat and around her tiny kitchen counter to Five pushing him to the side a bit and taking some space to add some spice, 'It doesn't suck. You just need to spice it up a bit. But it was a solid first try. Come on, I will show you,' she told him and worked her way around it feeling Five's gaze on her.

She tried to stay focused only on the food but whenever she did steal a glance at him, she caught the _heated_ look he was giving her. It was something she noticed before about him as well and wondered if maybe he wasn't a bit too into her being good with cooking and if it didn't serve him as a turn on as well. She realized she wouldn't mind at all if it did.

Once she was done, she turned around and offered him the spoon.

He didn't hesitate and leaned down to the level of her offered hand and grabbed her wrist to make sure it wouldn't move before he tasted the sauce and smiled as he purred, 'So unfair. It tastes heavenly.'

She wouldn't lie. Having him say _that_ , look like _that_ and be so close to her was definitely a turn on for her.

Vanya smiled at him and reached out touching the side of his face for the drop of sauce he had there. She wiped it out and continued to look at him feeling his gaze burning through her. It was so loving and haunting. It made her feel like she could do anything and _should_ do anything she wanted and-

'Vanya, I like you,' he said suddenly out of the blue.

She blinked surprised he blurted it out like that before she nodded, 'Good because I like you too.'

'I'm sorry about barging in like I did last night,' he carried on. It should have been probably an apology, but with the way, he was smiling it didn't sound like one.

She bit the inside of her cheek from smiling more because she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

'If you didn't, we would probably dance around each other for God knows how long,' she replied, 'Just don't drink so much if you can't hold it.'

He made an annoyed groan at the comment but didn't look upset.

She returned to the stove. After a moment she felt him step closer to her and then hug her from the back in what she could only describe as the most intimate and warm gesture she ever received from any man she ever dated.

His chin pressed against the top of her head, 'Does this count as a first date?'

She grinned despite herself, 'Sure. Who would have that James Five Hargreeves and the best he could do to impress a woman was to try and fail to cook for her? And people think you're a shallow rich guy.'

He squeezed her a bit like he was offended, but still light enough not to cause her anything other than the nice feeling that along with the wine was helping whatever nervousness she felt to leave her body, 'I thought you said the food wasn't so bad.'

She giggled and put one of her hands against his, 'Don't' worry, you'll learn. And for what it's worth, this is far more impressive than if you took me to any fancy restaurant in the world.'

'Hm,' he pressed his lips against her head for a moment maybe in a chaste kiss before he said, 'Good, but I still plan to take you to a few. Just to keep things interested and show you off. That's what we rich people do. Show off our new and most valuable and precious things to make others jealous.'

He really tried to make it impossible for her _not_ to smile like a happy idiot, didn't he?

'Oh?' she let out liking the idea that he thought about her being so important and precious enough to _show_ off.

'Unless you mind?' he asked and moved one of his hands to brush away a piece of her hair that was lost from her eyes.

She shook her head and pressed her back a bit more against him, 'No.'

She felt him move a bit and then his breath startled the neck hair on the back as he leaned toward her ear and whispered, 'Good.'

She finished the food Five started while he released her to set the counter for eating. It was so strange and yet not strange at all to have him there and work with her on their dinner. It had been a very long time since she had done that with anyone other than mamochka when she was at her place. Vanya liked it, _a lot_.

Five looked better. Rested and not hungover, but mostly rested. How often did he got a good night's sleep? She already knew not often enough. She wondered if she could ever get him to take a vacation or maybe just take a day off every couple of months. It would help him for sure. Also a part of her wondered if it was because of her and their decision to try and progress the relationship that he looked so much better and relaxed. She had to admit she felt it too. Now the pressure and tension even if not completely gone, were different than before, more exciting and thrilling and far less terrifying. Before it was all caused by this invisible barrier which made it impossible for them to touch in the form of worries and doubts about what could have happened if they did, and it backfired. Now it melted and spread around them like a fog of endless possibilities of how else they could touch and be together. The wine helped too of course.

She realized halfway through that he still didn't ask her for his phone even though they discussed work and what she and Ms. Handler came up with who in the mean-time sent her a list of questions the person who would interview them might ask.

'Let's turn it into a game,' he suggested after she read out some of the questions from Ms. Handler's list after they finished the dishes and cleaning. So weird how everything felt so ordinary like it was something they did all the time.

'Really you feel confident enough you'll know these things?' she asked raising her eyebrows at him.

He gave her the smirk which used to make it hard to breathe and now made her feel warm enough to wonder if she would get away with undoing a few buttons.

'Sure, that was what the private detectives were for,' he told her smugly, and her smile faded a bit as she wondered if he was joking or not.

'Alright,' she looked down at the list, 'Let's see _where did you two meet?_ ' she read out loud.

He grinned, 'Well, there is this meet-cute story about you being shirtless in the man's restroom-'

Vanya's eyes widened in horror, 'You can't seriously suggest we say that-'

'But I think that would be sending the wrong message.'

'Definitely,' she sighed relieved, 'We can still say we met at work. Uh, after Jenkins hired-'

'We could say we met eleven years ago when you went with your mamochka to look at Columbia University during the tour in the rain,' he said and Vanya blinked surprised, 'Oh, I told you about that?' It was true eleven years ago she and mamochka went on a tour to a few universities as her school guidance counselor was positive, she would get a full scholarship and should take advantage of it. Ultimately, however, she chose Columbia where she got coincidentally Five grandmother's scholarship.

Five grimaced, 'My father was giving a speech about business for some of the students, and I tagged along since I was home from school. So far, I had been to about eleven of his speeches, so I snuck out. I noticed a crowd of possible students and their parents were given a tour by some junior with too much hair product, so I tagged along.'

Vanya was even more surprised to hear this because there really was a junior student who led the tour for the students that day before their personal interviews. Could it have been that Five remembered her? She was so nervous about the interview and excited about school, she didn't pay almost any attention to people around her. She briefly remembered a woman and her son who kept on looking at her funny whenever her mamochka said something with her accent, but that was all.

'Did you see me-'

He grimaced looking a bit down now, 'No. I only remember the student because I thought he was a bit of a snob and literature major.'

'I think he was,' Vanya agreed still a bit surprised her and Five were in the same group of people eleven years before they actually met.

'Funny,' she commented and sipped her wine before Five looked away and continued, 'We could say we met there, or we met afterward when you graduated. I was there that day as well. Father had me wait in the hall since he had to pick me up from the airport.'

Vanya blinked again and slowly asked, 'Wait, you were there when I graduated?'

He nodded, 'A lot of students were graduating that day, and I was mostly bored out of my mind checking my phone, but yes, I was there. And we can say we met afterward.'

Vanya watched him not sure what to say to all of that. She thought the first time she met Five was the day she went for a job interview, but it turned out there were a few times, they could have met.'

She chuckled at the idea that they met sooner.

'And then there was the time, you were asked by your previous boss to bring him some documents for his lunch with Mr. Wolfowitz. You were probably on your way out when I came to their table,' he said, and this caused her to pause. She didn't even remember this, but it was possible. Her boss often caught out of her lunchtime to make her do some tasks he suddenly remembered when she was supposed to have a lunch break of her own or head home. She remembered he once even ask her to bring something to him while _he_ was on lunch, but she didn't remember Five or the man her boss was dining with just that she greeted them and left.

'I didn't really pay attention to you. Just that your ex-boss said his secretary brought him the documents he needed,' he said and looked at her as she made a displeased grimace feeling insulted by the comment, 'I wasn't his _secretary_.'

Five grinned.

Vanya looked at her phone and then at him, 'It's strange how we almost met so many times before. They say once is an accident, two is a coincidence and three times is a pattern.'

'Yeah,' he agreed and his smile fading a bit, 'I've been thinking about those times a lot recently. To be completely honest it pisses me off a bit to know that I had so many chances to meet you sooner and never did.'

She shrugged her shoulders letting the warmth of the fact that he wanted to meet her sooner nicely flow in her stomach, 'I guess we met when the time was right. Admit it. You much more enjoy our first actual meeting than the idea that you could have met me soaked with mamochka on a rainy school tour.'

'I do, but I would trade it for eleven more years with you,' he confessed and gave her the shy boy smile he sometimes put on that made her want to hug him and hold him close while telling him he would be alright. It was so vulnerable and honest, something melted in Vanya every time she saw it. It wasn't like the grin which melted her in a completely different way, the smile made her feel _soft_ like she needed to be extremely delicate with him like with something precious that needed her to keep him protected and safe.

She slid down from her bar stool and grabbed him by the front of his shirt closer to her. She noted it wasn't the one he had last night, so Hazel must have brought him clean clothes as well.

He didn't seem shocked for that brief moment before she closed her eyes and pulled him toward her.

When their lips met, she immediately sighed in relief as if saying _finally_. His lips were warm and gentle, and possibly became her most favorite part of his body as they moved in a very slow but teasing way against hers.

She sighed again, when she felt his hand slip into her hair and the other to her back holding her in place as if she was planning to go anywhere with such nice lips kissing her like that.

He deepened the kiss after a moment, and she gripped him harder before she parted her lips for him. She could tell it changed the atmosphere around them. Once again it felt like it got charged with electricity when their tongues started their little dalliance. Ever since she allowed herself to think about Five and what it would be like to kiss him, she subconsciously knew it would be good. It would have to be. He was just so handsome, smelled fantastic, and whenever he was close to her, she couldn't deny the way her body submissively reacted to her primitive urges and thoughts about him. But it was one thing to think about it and another completely different to actually experience it. It was better. Just like with everything else Five was a brilliant kisser.

She felt the yearning inside her build up along with the again that inflaming pool of heat with the way he kissed her like he wanted to devour her. No one ever kissed her like that. No one ever kissed her like they _wanted_ her this much. And no one definitely made her feel like this, all stirred up and calmed down at the same time like everything was right in the world.

She moved her free hand against his cheek and then to the back of his hair where she grabbed it. It was a reflex but the groan he let out once she did so was _so_ worth it.

When he broke the kiss, he was breathing just as hard as she was which made her feel even more high knowing she wasn't the only one hopelessly affected by this.

He stroked her cheek with his thumb and pressed his forehead against hers, 'Gosh, I wanted to do that so badly.'

She couldn't keep the grin off her face, 'Me too.'

He stroked her again and she sighed feeling more content and at peace than she did all day.

They heard a phone buzz nearby, and Five sighed but not sounding happy at all, 'That's mine.'

She nodded and stepped away from him only to be grabbed by the waists in a rushed move and spun around. She let out a surprised yelp before she giggled a bit nervously as he carefully kept her still for a moment so she wouldn't stumble or something. She felt her head spinning, and not from the wine.

'Sorry,' he said with a smug smile, and she knew he wasn't sorry at all.

'Uh, it's in my coat,' she told him as she watched him go to her small corridor.

Once he turned his back to her, she bit her lip and tried not to grin like an idiot in love which was proving to be harder than it should.

'Something important?' she asked, and Five shook his head, 'just Handler trying something again.'

Vanya watched him immediately seeing the change in his behavior. Did the woman really annoy him so much after looking like he was on top of the world he felt back down to the ground frustrated and upset?

'What did she do?' she asked and Five sighed, 'She just pointed out that we should prepare for tomorrow and wished us a _good night._ '

It took a moment for Vanya to realize, 'Oh, both of us?'

'Yes, she surely knows I'm here,' he said and sighed a bit frowning.

She wondered if he would want to leave now. Maybe it would be better if he did leave. He spent here all day, and they should do things slower, right? They worked together, and it wasn't like they had to jump each other right now. He also had a father at home and his own house where he should be and- but Vanya really didn't want him to go. When did she become this needy? When did she become so obsessed with him? It was started to be a really bad idea for him to spend the night. Now she never wanted him to go.

'How did you and Ms. Handler meet anyway?' she asked curiously. He talked about her in a way that made Vanya think there was so much more to the story that Five was keeping out. She wanted to know what was it that made him react so badly to the woman. Even with Jenkins, he looked more in control of how much he disliked the guy, well, both of them.

Maybe she should have tried to kiss him again, but with him frowning again, she felt the mood was a bit off.

Five looked at her, his face relaxing a bit before he said, 'She's my mother.'

For a moment, she thought he was joking, but when he didn't add anything, she realized he wasn't.

'Oh?' she said not sure how to react to something so shocking. She realized it had to be the reason why sometimes the woman made Vanya feel like she knew her and why her smirk was so familiar and disturbing. Five smirked like that too. No wonder, she made her feel so nervous at times.

He sighed and brushed through his hair before he went to sit back down, 'She was young and weaseled her way into the high society to get contacts and prestige and what not. She got it along with me. Things didn't work out, and my parents wanted a divorce. Father dearest offered her five million dollars to get out of my life and never have any legal hold over me. I was his only son out of three marriages, so he figured he wouldn't have another shot. She took it. That's why I don't talk about her. Ever.'

Vanya reached out and took his hand still in stunned silence from the new information. It was truth Five didn't talk about his mom. On the few occasions he did, Vanya thought the woman left him, and it was too painful. She was right about the painful part just not why it was so painful.

'I'm so sorry,' she said and then squeezed his hand as she realized something, 'Uh, is that why you call yourself Five? Because of five million dollars?'

He chuckled but it was a sad sound before he looked at her, 'You're starting to know me too well, Ms. Babkin. It's almost terrifying at times.'

She pressed her palm against his cheek softly, 'Well, you are the type to put salt into your own wounds. It wasn't that much of a brainer.'

Five put his hands on her waists looking into her eyes. He looked a bit better.

'How old were you?' she asked, 'You once told me you were young and didn't remember her.'

Five shrugged his shoulders, 'When it happened? About three or four. I didn't remember her much, but I was sure she had red hair before. Father always told me what she did, but there was a part of me who didn't believe it,' he smirked which made Vanya want to hug him even more almost to the point it was physically uncomfortable not to, 'I thought he made it all up, and that he forced her away or got rid of her somehow. I used to think he forged the documents and had people lie about it. After I turned twenty-one she found me, took me out to dinner, and told me,' he brushed his hands over Vanya's waists maybe to keep himself busy while talking.

'I didn't believe her at first and said my father paid for her to say it. It turned into an ugly fight. Eventually, I did believe it, but tuned it out. If someone dared to ask me about my mother, I would say she left when I was young, and that I never met her,' he said and Vanya finally gave in and hugged him pushing her forehead against his neck and shoulder, 'I'm sorry.'

'Has anyone ever told you, you apologize too much, zayka?' he asked, but she didn't have it in her to chuckle or smile hearing all of that, so she just held him close and allowed him to hold her as well. It was just so terribly sad to her. She couldn't imagine going through something like that. All Five's childhood was always so sad, and this was like the worst blow of all of them.

'I'm here,' she mumbled quickly into the otherwise silent apartment. She didn't know what else to say or how to make him feel better just that she really wanted to.

He pressed his face against the side of her face before he looked up, 'I know. You're always here. You're the only person…I really trust to be here…always.'

She sighed and closed her eyes glad to hear she earned such a place in his life and heart. She knew he didn't trust people. She knew about all his hidden fears and worries and things that pushed him back. The thing he didn't talk about. Not really and just boiled in until he snapped, or decided to tell her. She cherished all of the things and secrets he told her and carefully tugging them away into a special box she would never have anyone else have or see.

'We need to work on other questions,' he mumbled but made no intention of letting her go, so she didn't move either.

'In a few more minutes,' she said and felt him agree to that as he continued to hold her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Thank you for all the support :) I also hope you and your loved ones are alright. Have a nice day.


	10. Chapter 10

**Epilogue**

Vanya rushed toward the elevator trying desperately hard not to notice the smug smile on Luther's face as she passed him at the security.

'Wait up,' she heard Five call after her before he managed to easily catch her with just a few of his long steps. She really hated how tall he was sometimes. It was so unfair.

The elevator finally showed up, and she went inside shooting Five a look when he chuckled at her brisk walk.

'It's 9. A.M, Five! 9. A.M!' she complained as the door closed.

He shook his head and pressed the button, 'I don't get why you are freaking out so much. I have never made it to work past 7.30. When father was unbearable, I practically lived here,' he said, but she shook her head. They were late. They were _so_ _terribly_ late. It was the start of their first whole week as a couple, and they were late. How would that look like? And Luther had that damn smug look on his face like he won a bet, and Five…Five didn't even seem to care just grinning like an idiot through the car ride even singing along to _Under Pressure_ by _Queen_. She really thought he was pulling her leg with that one.

'Zayka, you need to relax,' he said amusement clear from his green eyes. Not even his use of her adorable nickname would calm her down now. Ugh! She hated being late more than anything.

Vanya sighed and shook her head again, 'You're impossible, Mr. Hargreeves.'

His grin turned into a wicked smirk she got very familiar with during the first night and then the weekend of them dating before she felt his fingers lightly stroke her bare elbow and move through her forearm all the way to her wrist. It was very distracting how slowly they light her arm and body up, 'If you want, I can help you. You know I'm good at it.'

She shouldn't still be this affected by him after all the things they did those nights before, and yet she once again felt her face warming up with the blood that rushed to her cheeks. No doubt she was blushing.

'Careful,' she managed to say not even bothering to look at him knowing he was still smirking with those terribly beautifully haunting lips of his that made her body sing so many times now, 'This is a workplace and dating or not that could still be considered sexual harassing.'

Five's fingers paused on her wrist for a moment before he said, 'Not if we were married.'

She might as well have a heart attack when she heard those words come out of his stupidly brilliant mouth.

Her eyes shifted toward him on their own as she knew without a doubt she looked like he just grew a second head. She couldn't help it. She was in shock.

When he let out another soft chuckle probably amused by the reaction he got out of her, she finally managed to turn back on and shake her head, 'We're not married.'

'Right,' he said with a hint of something mischief in his eyes, 'Would you like to be?'

She didn't have time to answer as the door opened and a person from the IT department stepped in.

They both greeted him politely, and she wondered if he could feel the tension between them or if it was just in her head.

Five fingers started to move up her forearm back to her elbow, 'Well, do you?'

'No,' she hissed lowering her voice. The last thing she wanted was for some IT guy to tell Ben who would tell Allison who would tell Agnes and Luther and Hazel and- just for anyone to know that Five just somewhat asked her if she wanted to get married because that was…it was…absurd…right?

'Hm,' he said and looked down at her. His smirk now turned into a calm smile the one he had solely reserved for her, 'Probably for the best. It wouldn't be good if our children asked for the story of our engagement and we would say it was while riding an elevator with Bob here.'

The man had enough tact not to even move a muscle at the mention of his name.

Vanya shot Five a look. He couldn't seriously just say _that_ and _now?_ And mention kids, and being married and…gosh, he would try to kill her now every chance he got with such claims, wouldn't he?

The door opened and Bob practically ran out of the elevator as if they threatened to eat him alive.

She turned to look at Five properly, 'Was that really necessary?'

He grinned as he confessed, 'No, but I love the way you blush when you're embarrassed like that.'

Ridiculous. She had fallen in love with the most ridiculous man she ever met. What would her mamochka say? Oh, she already said she liked him.

Five put on a more sober look as he suddenly grabbed her waist and turned her toward him, 'Don't be mad, zayka.'

'If you really like my blush so much why not explore it when we're in the bedroom, Mr. Hargreeves?' she asked rolling her eyes. She couldn't be mad at him and his stupidly handsome face and smirk for too long. She was already smiling.

He pulled her closer and leaned toward her, 'Oh, I intend to, Ms. Babkin.'

He then kissed her stealing her breath away and making them even later than they already were.

This time, she wasn't too mad about it though.

**Koniec**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: Hey, sorry it took so long to finish, but I lost the muse with this story. I always come hitting into walls whenever I finally make the characters together. It's my bad habit. Anyway, since uwunymous mentioned that this story reminded her of a K-Drama show I had been playing with the idea of changing the rating the T. Steamy office sex would have been fun, but I'm not in the mood for it maybe if I took a different turn with the story and not make them together so quickly I would have but oh well…anyway, thank you all so very very much for the support and everything. I was honestly surprised you like this story so much and I hope you will like my next one whatever it will be and that you are all safe and okay. Have a nice day

**Author's Note:**

> A.N: Yeah, I started a new Au story like The Meeting in the dark it will be a shorter one, maybe 3-4 chapters. Thank you for taking the time to read. Feedback is welcome. Have a nice day and happy rest of the holidays :)


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